Lying Helpless in Her Arms
by Babi
Summary: He's fascinated by the opposite sex, not on a cheap way. He thinks women are precious and should be appreciated, cherished and really tasted. Sex is a sacred experience for him but he won't settle down to any woman. Then he meets her. Picks up on season5.
1. Prologue

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**Lying Helpless in Her Arms**

**Prologue**

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It hadn't been her day. No, scratch that, it hadn't been her week or even her month. Brooke had been barely standing there. Of course, the crisis affected everyone but her mother's overreaction was driving her crazy. Clothes over Bros had lost some important contracts and the lack of inspiration to draw her new line only made it worse.

Now she was in Manhattan, it almost ten at night and she was involved in a stupid car crash. Why she didn't just take a cab to make her life a little easier was beyond her, she thought to herself. But now it was pointless, since she had already crashed her car.

"Are you okay?" asked the raven haired guy as soon as he left his car. He was also going home – or to a hotel in his case – after a long day of work. Having his rented car hit in the back was just the icing on the cake.

"I am definitely not okay," said an annoyed Brooke as she stepped out of her car and called her assistant.

"Millie. It's me. Can you meet me here on 5th, close to Marcy's?" She was silent as she listened to Millicent ask a question. "I hit a stupid car." Her face was red with rage as she bit out the words.

"No, I'm fine. I just want to go home and have a shower. I really need it."

"You have got to be kidding me," Brooke exclaimed as she threw her hands in the air. She placed the phone back against her ear, thanked Millie and hung up.

"Do you need any help?" the stranger offered again.

"I need vodka. Do you have a bottle in your car?"

"No but I'm sure they have it there," he said, pointing to a bar a block away with a smirk on his face. He found the scene in front of him amusing.

She seemed to breathe a relief as she grabbed her purse and began walking. He had to run to catch up to her.

"Are you serious?" He remembered just in time to turn around and lock his car.

"Well, I tried my best, I really did. I've been in meetings, I've delivered the best designs I could, I've withstood my mom talking endlessly into my ear for three weeks in a row and how am I paid back? I lost contracts, Bitchtoria was extra bitchy and I got my freaking car crashed," she vented as she walked towards the bar not really paying any attention to the guy that was following her.

"Yeah, maybe vodka would be a good call," he mused as he stifled a laugh. Her outburst was hilarious.

Brooke ignored his comment and continued walking. She didn't care for a guy that she would never see again.

"Look, here's my business card. Why don't you call tomorrow and talk to my assistant about the insurance." She handed him the tiny white card after she dug it out of her purse.

"Its okay, the car isn't even mine. I rented. I'm in New York for business," he explained but took the card anyway. During their little encounter, he got a glimpse of her stunning beauty. Her beautiful and flawless creamy skin, her beautiful eyes, her cleavage… and wow was she definitely gorgeous.

Brooke waved her hand in the air, a sign that she was clearly not listening and walked into the bar.

"Are you going to leave your car there?"

"It's parked," she muttered, looking around at her surroundings. The bar wasn't half as bad as she expected. It was a Thursday night and it could've been a lot worse. Looking around, she saw people talking, laughing, drinking and eating and she realized that it was all she needed. Millie was calling the insurance company to get her car, and she was on her way to New Jersey. Brooke had totally forgotten she gave the Friday off to her assistant. Millicent deserved better than that; especially for mediating the innumerous fights between her and Victoria.

As soon as she reached the bar and took a seat, she raised her hand, "A shot of vodka!"

"What about you?" Brooke turned to see the man from earlier taking the seat beside her.

"Bourbon," he ordered.

When the bartender nodded, the man turned to Brooke and offered his hand, "Julian Baker."

Brooke looked up at him for the first time since the crash and she liked what she saw. The stubble, the grin, the eyes, the disheveled hair; the guy breathed charm.

"Why are you still here?" She was blunt, curt. He was charming but she didn't have the patience, hadn't for years.

"To assure that your day ends better than it started," he tried, holding his grin and the interest the crazy brunette had sparked since he laid eyes on her.

"I doubt it," she said carelessly. The bartender placed the small glass in front of her and she knocked it back with one gulp. She quickly ordered another one with a wave of her finger.

"You are underestimating my abilities and that's a mistake," he teased, taking a sip of his drink and smirking at her temper. She was feisty and he liked that.

"I don't need to know about your abilities nor do I care about them. I am only talking about mine," she replied bitterly. She saw the bottle in the bartenders hand and motioned towards it with her hand. Getting the cue that she wanted to control the bottle, he left it there for her and went to serve another customer.

"And what are they?" He would challenge her; get to know her without even her knowing.

"Thirty seconds ago it was my remarkable dislike for cheesy lines but now I am employing my ignoring skills," she retorted wittingly before she gulped her third shot, the clear liquid burning her throat.

"So you're going to ignore me?" he chuckled and shook his head but he received no answer.

"That's too bad because I'm someone you would like to know. Most women would," he completed, watching as she filled her glass one more time. Maybe it would be easier than he thought but he was met with silence again.

"You know, you never really told me your name," he tried once more. Though he knew she was clearly stressed out, he was still enchanted by her beauty and strong personality.

"I don't like the dumb type either," she finally said, standing up from her seat. "So I might as well take that business card back." She didn't look at him as she stood, bottle in hand and left him at the bar.

She walked to the games area. She wondered for a few seconds what it would be tonight. There were some guys and girl around the pool table but the darts were abandoned. Refilling her glass for the fifth time, she decided that pool was her safest bet if she wanted to make it out of the bar alive.

She called for one of the waiters and asked him to have a cab waiting for her at midnight, writing down her name and also her address just in case she couldn't remember it later. One hour and a half was enough for her to drink all her stress away and have a huge hangover in the morning.

* * *

Julian turned around on his seat, beer in hand, as he watched her movements. She quickly socialized with the guys and the girl playing pool and he listened to her giggles. She had the most beautiful, dimpled smile he had ever seen and her voice was like velvet, absolutely sexy but her giggles? She giggled like a child; a child with the innocence and joy inherent to childhood. Who was this intriguing girl? He thought as he watched her sloppy movements, trying to aim for the holes. When she arrived, she was so stressed out and so bitter but now, she was careless and he could only imagine that she was letting herself be her real self for the first time that day or maybe that week. God, he could bet it had been a long time since she felt like that.

The answer was right in his pocket and remembering about the business card she gave him earlier, he pulled it out and read the elegant writing. It was for Clothes over Bros, the famous fashion line.

_Brooke Davis_

_Fashion Designer/Founder_

He couldn't believe of all people, she was the one that crashed into his car. Life couldn't get any better in his opinion.

* * *

Brooke has made out as she planned. She had a great time with Jeff, Theresa, Jim and Josh or was it Tim? She really didn't remember and she didn't care. She had her bottle of vodka and the best fun she had had in years, playing pool with equally drunk people. Somehow, although her memories were quite muddled, she left the bar and made it to her penthouse. But she remembered the headache. And, surprisingly, her erotic dream. She has dreamt about meeting a guy and having a wild night of sex with him. It had been a long time since Brooke had had sex at all but that dream seemed so vivid that somehow it fulfilled her need. Knowing that the sooner she got an aspirin, the sooner the headache would disappear. She rolled her body to stand up but when she couldn't move, she looked down, surprised. The weight of an arm was on her stomach. _It can't be. I wouldn't do it. I'm Brooke Davis, fashion designer, a business woman that doesn't have time for any of that sex nonsense._

And as those thoughts rushed through her head, she opened her eyes to see the back of a strange male's head.

Realizing that her dream hadn't been dream at all, she muttered the only word she could.

"Crap!"

* * *

_AN: Hey!!!! It is me again with my latest Brulian fic. The readers of A Love To Remember, don't worry, I am only waiting my chapter to be reviewed by my sweetie Beta Ashley, and you will have it. I'll update twice this week as I always do._

_So what did you think about it? I am really proud of this fic (I have a lot of chapters written already, but as I need them to be reviewed and I have two more Brulian fic, plus two of Grey's Anatomy this one will be updated only once by week). I think it is the best work I've done so far and let's say the prologue doesn't do any justice to the next chapters. I needed to have their meeting writing but at the same time I couldn't give a lot of who is this Brooke and who is this Julian because well, they were just meeting._

_So expect a lot of layers being developed on both characters especially because the rest of people here are absolutely only recurring. There aren't other parallel storylines and I'll keep the interaction with other the minimum. It is all about Brooke and Julian interaction with each other._

_**Details**: All from season 1-4 counts and it starts where season 5 started. Julian is OOC here. He is sexy, charming, arrogant, cocky, surreal and seducing. Well it doesn't seem to be a lot different of the show but he is. Julian never had a relationship, so he never dated or met Peyton for that matter. He is the seductive guy that enjoys chasing women but not only for sex. He is looking for something more than this but he is not open to love or to relationships. He flirts a lot with everything that breaths and is female and though I don't quite think he is a womanizer, some would.  
What makes him different than the usual womanizer? He appreciates women on a deeper level, he isn't after sex, though he cherishes it a lot, but he wants to know women, to know who they really are, the details that make each of them so different and at the same time just like all the others. He is fascinated by the opposite sex and likes to taste it just like some people like to taste wine. He tries to find out every note, every different taste and smell, intensity and personality.  
But he is closed to love. He never fell in love and he was pretty sure he wouldn't. Well, then he meets Brooke Davis - who is pretty much the same of the show - and maybe he will be surprised.  
The prologue is just about how they meet but trust me, the direction this fic go is totally different than this and maybe unexpected. Maybe a bit surreal, we'll see. What you can do expect is for it to be very sensual though the only sex moment for a long while will be this one that Brooke just remembered - and that you will get the nasty details in the next two chapters.

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	2. Julian & Brooke: Dimples

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**Lying Helpless in Her Arms**

**Volume I - Julian & Brooke  
**

**Chapter 1 - Dimples**

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Brooke surveyed her surroundings. At least she was in her bedroom. Or was it still horrible? She had a stranger in her bed. She couldn't leave because it was her house. But if she couldn't leave, then said stranger needed to wake up.

She carefully slid from underneath his arm. She would wake him but needed to at least remember who he was. An aspirin would help. She got her robe from the nearby chair and walked to the kitchen.

She tried hard to remember but her head hurt so much that she decided to try to relax her muscles, as her therapist said. Trying to remember who was lying on her bed wasn't exactly relaxing, so she took the medicine and sat in the chair by the counter, making small circles with her hands on both of her temples. During times like these, she remembered why she had stopped with the 'sex, liquor and rock 'n roll' motto. She didn't have the time or the stamina for that anymore.

"Good morning," said a deep voice from behind her. She closed her eyes. He could have a knife, a gun, possibly wanting drugs. She cursed when she felt his arms slide around her waist and his lips leave an inviting kiss on her ear. "It was cold without you in there."

"I told you I hate cheesy lines," she said when something from last night popped into her head while she closed her eyes. She could feel his stubble rubbing her shoulder and oddly enough, it was making her knees weak.

"You seemed to like them yesterday," he retorted as he slowly slid the robe down, placing kisses where the silk had been.

"Yeah and you seem to be the cocky type who takes advantage of drunk girls," she argued, trying her best to hold back a moan as the robe fell to the ground and his kisses began to go lower.

"That's absolutely untrue, B. Davis." His fingertips created feather-like caresses down her arm, causing bumps to rise where he had barely touched. He grabbed both their arms and crossed them over her chest. After peppering a few more kisses along her back, he returned his chin to her shoulder, saying, "I'm glad you insisted, Brooke."

Her name on his lips somehow made her wake up from the weird trance. She detached herself from him and walked to the other side of the counter. "I did not insist and you need to leave."

"Alright," Julian surrendered, with a grin on his face. "But this is not the last you will hear from me, Brooke Davis," he said before he walked over to her and softly kissed her cheek. "Enjoy your day off." She watched him leave her kitchen, her eyes never leaving his naked body.

Brooke released the breath she didn't know she was holding. She tried to remember the events of last night as best she could. She remembered the car crash, entering the bar, possessing a vodka bottle and playing pool. But that was it. She knew he had introduced himself while she was still in the bar but she couldn't remember his name.

Her headache which she barely noticed while he was holding her was now making itself known again and she decided she would rest. Maybe when she didn't feel like her head was going to explode, she'd remember.

* * *

She stayed in the kitchen until she heard the front door open and close. He seemed to be a good guy. She could say he was respectful. She didn't need to ask him to leave more than once and the way he touched her was different than any of the other men she'd slept with.

He was sexy and seductive as hell but it wasn't what made him different to her. They way he touched and talked to her did. She figure out what it was but now he was gone and she knew she'd never see him again. He had said otherwise but he had already had what most men look for. He had no reason to look for her unless he wanted round two and though she was tempted to comply, she wouldn't allow herself to have sex twice with someone she didn't really know.

She didn't want to think about the company today and trying to remember her last escape wouldn't be very useful, especially now that she had already got rid of the guy. She walked back to her bedroom, brushed her teeth and dressed herself in a comfortable tank and sweatpants. She got a bowl of cereal and headed to the living room. _It's a good day for a movie marathon,_ she thought. As she searched for the remote, her eyes landed on a pair of wine glasses. Suddenly all the memories she had already decided shouldn't be remembered flew through her mind.

* * *

"_Hi," Julian greeted the people around the pool table, nodding his head. The three guys and the girl seemed to be drunk so they simply replied cheerfully._

"_Don't you think you already had too much of this?" Julian asked on her ear, his hand reaching out to take the half-empty vodka bottle from her._

_She barely looked at him as she prepared for another shot and giggled, "No."_

_Julian waved the waiter over and handed him the bottle, saying, "She's not having anymore tonight." He quickly handed the man money to cover her tab._

"_What about the cab for midnight?" the waiter asked as Julian checked his watch. It was still eleven fifteen._

"_Does it know where to take her?" He heard Brooke behind him, celebrating her making the 'black ball' into a pocket. He stifled a laugh._

_The waiter pulled out a small paper from his shirt pocket and handed it to Julian. "This is her address. She told me to give it to the cab driver."_

"_I'll get it covered," Julian offered, stretching arm to grab the paper. The waiter shrugged and gave it to him. Julian smiled a thank you and turned around to see Brooke on her way to getting on top of the pool table. "Is she…climbing onto the table?"_

_He quickly grabbed her arm, balancing her. "I thought we had enough of this, Dimples."_

"_But I lost. We bet the loser would have to strip on the pool table," she laughed._

_He waved at the men on the side. "Sorry to disappoint, fella's." The men were practically drooling at the prospect of seeing the brunette naked._

"_Come on, your cab is outside, Dimples," he said as he grabbed her arm softly and began to lead her towards the front door._

"_I didn't ask for a cab," she argued lightly, trying to remember if she had. An eruption of giggles followed seconds later. "Nope, I definitely didn't."_

_He smiled. She was cute when she was drunk. "When you were sober, you asked for one. It's waiting outside."_

"_You're no fun, Jim," she pouted, annoyed. She had the cutest pout, he thought as he led her outside._

"_It's Julian, not Jim and you're having enough fun for both of us," he laughed. She shivered as they stepped outside._

"_Put this on," he ordered, pulling his coat off himself and wrapping it around her._

"_I don't see a cab." She got silent for a moment. "Oh my God, are you trying to rape me?" Her eyes widened and she tried to make her way back to the bar but the alcohol was making her clumsy. She nearly fell flat on her face but Julian was quick enough to catch her._

"_Slow down, Dimples. The cab is going to be here at any moment. Look, you wrote down your address and name and asked the waiter to get you a cab at midnight," he explained, showing her the paper. She took it from him and recognized the writing as her own._

_She nodded as she adjusted his coat over her small frame._

"_Do you mind if we share the same cab? I'll pay," he offered, shoving his hands into his pockets. He was feeling the coldness now as well._

"_No," she said with a smile on her face, paying attention to him for the second time that night. She wasn't stopping herself this time. "I would love for you to take me home, Julian."_

_Julian was about to answer when the cab pulled up in front of them. The driver rolled down the window. _

"_Cab for Brooke?" he asked, looking to the female brunette who looked extremely giddy._

"_Oh, that's me," she yelled cheerfully as she ran to the cab and practically fell into the car._

"_Are you coming, Boy Toy?" Julian laughed at the drunk and cheery girl in the car before getting in._

_Their ride was the funniest he'd ever had. She was definitely captivating._

_When the car stopped outside of her house, Brooke looked to Julian and held out her hand, saying, "Come on, let's go upstairs."_

"_I already made sure you're safe and sound at home. Brooke, I should go," he said, reaching for her hand. He rubbed his thumb along her backhand._

"_Come __**on**__, Julian. I may be a little tipsy but I'm in control of my actions," she said, smiling cheerfully. It seemed he couldn't resist that dimpled smile of hers._

"_Okay but for your information, I would never take advantage of a drunk girl," he said, giving the money to the cab driver and letting himself out of the car._

"_Good, because __**I'm **__used to taking advantage, not the other way around," she replied easily as they walked into her house, holding hands._

_He smiled at the sexy and carefree girl pulling him into the elevator. "I'm sure you are."_

"_So what do you do, Toy Boy?" she asked, pressing the button for 'Penthouse'._

"_I'm a movie producer," he shrugged, looking closely at her curvy figure. She was the most beautiful girl he'd ever met._

"_Oh, so you're a Movie Boy," she giggled. She moved closer to him, the space between them getting smaller and smaller until they were barely touching each other._

"_I guess," he murmured, looking into her hazel eyes. All he wanted to do was pull her into his arms and kiss her full lips. If she wasn't so drunk, he'd do it._

"_We're here!" The elevator doors opened and Brooke rushed into her apartment, Julian following closely behind._

"_You have a nice place, Davis," he commented, looking around._

"_Thanks. Make yourself at home," she offered as she kicked her shoes off._

_He sat on the couch, watching her walk around. She disappeared when she entered the kitchen. Not a minute later and she was back in his view, this time carrying two wine glasses and a bottle of dark liquid._

"_Whoa! Vodka and wine? Are you sure you want to wake up tomorrow?" She was either ignoring his question or hadn't heard him since she simply set the items on the coffee table and sat beside him._

"_I think this belongs to you," she whispered hoarsely as she shrugged his coat off and slapped it over his shoulder. "And I think it is way too hot in here." She slipped off her shirt, revealing her black, lacy bra._

"_Brooke," Julian grumbled, concern laced with desperation. She was beautiful and he knew she was vulnerable but there was only so much a man could resist._

"_Don't you think it's hot in here?" She surprised him by straddling him, her legs over his._

"_I… I think… I should go," he rambled as she brought her manicured nails to the top buttons of his shirt, unbuttoning one by one. He wasn't able to move. He knew he should leave now but her scent, her voice, her cleavage just some inches away from his mouth didn't allow him to move._

_She finally undid all his buttons and slowly slid his shirt down his muscular arms._

"_Not so bad, Movie Boy," she smiled, raising her eyebrows. He found himself trapped when he felt her mouth on his neck, placing lingering kisses around his collarbone. _

"_Brooke, I can't, we can't, you can't," he finally said, blurting out everything at once. Taking all the self-control he had, he got away from her. He stood up and, placing each of his hands on her shoulders, he said, "I want you. God, any man would kill to have you now and maybe I'm becoming gay or stupid but I can't take advantage of you. I came here to ensure that you were okay and now I should go." He began to make his way towards the elevator._

"_Wait." Her pleading tone had him stopping in his tracks._

"_Please, stay," she begged once more. He looked back and was shocked by how vulnerable she looked. The confident girl that was climbing over him was gone and an even more beautiful girl had replaced her._

"_I can't stay. Brooke, you're beautiful, you're a hell of an attractive woman and if I stay, I'm not sure I could be held liable for my actions," he explained, running his fingers through his hair. Brooke simply stood and began walking towards him._

"_And I am not like this, Julian. I'm independent. I don't have time for bars or boys but today, when you took that vodka bottle from my hand, I wanted to be rescued for at least once in my life. I wanted to be the one to be saved and you were there playing the perfect knight in shining armor." She stopped in front of him. "Just for tonight I want to be rescued. Just for tonight I want to feel happy. Just for tonight I want to feel something…anything." If he hadn't known how much she had drank, he would've figured she was now sober but he knew she wasn't. And it was like she was begging him to stay even though she hadn't said those exact words._

_He sounded uncertain as he looked down at her, "Brooke…"_

"_Don't worry, you're not taking advantage of me," she assured him, bringing her lips to his and kissing him with as much passion as she could muster. The moment he felt her soft lips on his, he knew he was a goner. Like he thought earlier, there was only so much a man could resist.

* * *

_

_AN: So this is chapter one, the first part of their night of great sex. Next the continuation of their night and what is been on Julian's head._

_I can't wait to have these three first chapters out there because they are just a foggy reflection of what I am doing here but I needed them and I can't be too intense on two people that just got to know each other but from chapter 4, expect it to dig deep._

_Hope to read your thoughts. xoxo, B.

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	3. Julian & Brooke: Casanova

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**Lying Helpless in Her Arms**

**Chapter 2 - Casanova**

* * *

The memories of last night replayed over and over in his head. He didn't know how to get rid of them.

He didn't know what about Brooke intrigued him so much but the fact was he couldn't take the brunette out of his head. He didn't understand it, especially because he hadn't had time to _know _her like he would always do with his women. And maybe that was the problem after all. Julian had never had a one night stand like that. What he usually had with women could be categorized as one night flings but never that meaningless and uncontrollable. Meaningless because when he slept with a woman she meant a lot to him but he didn't know Brooke yet. Uncontrollable because not only was she like the zenith of beauty but because she was the kind of woman any man wanted to be with. And by being with, he didn't mean sex.

It didn't help that he was having a hell of a day on the set. He had a lot of problems with the lights, the location and even the casting. Feeling like he was the only one with a problem, he decided to call it a day around five. He released the crew and told them they would resume tomorrow at lunch. Julian had always been an easy-going producer unlike most.

He liked to work with a good chronogram to allow his crew and himself to get some rest instead of shooting sixteen hours a day, seven days a week. On the weekends they would only work from noon to six and very often they wouldn't work on Sundays. He thought a fresh crew always produced better and though some directors had a hard time accepting it, he had already a couple of them that incorporated his rhythm.

This movie held great expectations. It was based on a novel from the same writer of The Devil Wears Prada but the plot was different as the main character was a great designer though it still developed around the fashion world. Meeting Brooke Davis the night before was pure luck. He was looking for a top clothes designer to actually work in costumes and one of the first names on his list was Brooke Davis. It also happened that the beautiful brunette lived in New York where they would actually shoot.

He had decided for Brooke, along with other big names, after doing a deep research, as he would always do. Not for one moment did he care to know what the designers looked like, especially because there were a lot of men on his list and he definitely wouldn't like to know how they looked. He had read articles about their clothes and reviews about their lines. When Julian was working, nothing else mattered and he wouldn't worry about the color of their eyes.

He made all the phone calls the day before. Most of the designers were actually interested in the movie and he had scheduled the meetings for the next week. He had called Clothes over Bros the day before as well and scheduled a meeting with their CEO, Victoria Davis, on Monday afternoon.

Was this Victoria the mother Brooke complained about yesterday during her rant? It really didn't matter. Knowing that C/B had lost some contracts was enough information for him. These times were sinking a lot of business and he was sure that Victoria Davis wouldn't let a nine hundred thousand dollar contract fly by the window.

Suddenly, he wasn't looking for all the other meetings he had scheduled. Suddenly, it seemed like Brooke Davis would be the perfect choice for the job. And there was no way he wouldn't have her with him for the next few months, working on his new movie. He didn't have the time to know her like he wanted to before they had shared something so special but he would fix that.

* * *

"_Julian!" She exclaimed his name as he possessed one of her breasts with his hand and the other with his lips._

"_Brooke, you taste so good," he breathed, sucking her nipple while her body contorted under his touch._

"_Please," she begged._

"_Enjoy it, Brooke. You're about to have the best night of your life and I want you to remember every minute of it," he said confidently between kisses to her chest._

"_So stop teasing and start doing it," she muttered impatiently. She felt like she had a river between her legs and it was throbbing to meet with his member._

"_Your wish is my command."_

_When he reached for her navel, he licked around it and his hot breath on her wet skin sent shivers through her whole body. "Your skin is so soft. I don't want to stop tasting you," he whispered._

_She didn't know how much more foreplay she could stand. The way he touched, kissed, licked and bit her skin led her body to a mix of arousal, desire and satisfaction even before he entered her. She had never felt anything like that before. Julian definitely knew what he was doing._

"_Do you want it, Dimples?" She thought his devastatingly handsome grin should've been illegal._

"_I want it," she purred._

"_Who do you want?" _

"_I want you, Julian. I want you. I want you," she repeated as he kissed her foot, moving up to her ankle, calve, taking his time at the back of her knee and driving her insane. He continued his way up to her thigh and he knew exactly where and how to turn her on with kisses and bites._

_He finally reached for her center and wasted no time licking her clit. Brooke tossed under his mouth and he was impressed by how wet she was. He had barely started his work on her and he could say she was about to come._

"_Beautiful," he murmured. The way she yelled his name and came drove him insane and he couldn't wait to get inside of her._

_After she came back from her high, he crawled over her until her angelic face came into view and kissed her intensely. He liked everything about her. Her smell, the taste of her lips, the taste of her cream, everything about Brooke Davis was perfect._

_Feeling like she had enough strength to turn things around, she rolled over him, taking control of the situation._

"_I knew you had it in you, Davis," he teased as he saw her eyes darken with desire._

"_You have no idea, Hottie," she replied as she held both of his wrists over his head, leaning down to kiss just behind his ear._

_It was Julian's turn to become insanely aroused. He had no idea how she just managed to find his spot at the first attempt and his answer made it clear to her that she did._

_Brooke enjoyed as she felt his already hard erection on her thigh. She would take care of it but not before making Julian's night as memorable as he had already made hers._

_She also made a trail of kissed down his body but she knew the kisses wouldn't turn him on as much as her nails. She would make circle movements on his chest and abs, barely touching him. She made her way to his stomach, toned and tanned, and repeated her motion. She could hear his moans as he called out her name. Unlike her, he didn't yell. It was just a murmur. She finally moved to his hard member. She didn't give it any attention at first. She knew a spot or two to drive any man crazy and Julian didn't seem to be an exception as she caressed him with her hands. _

_Julian never felt it before. He had no idea of what she was doing anymore and she could see that his pre-cum was already wetting his hard member._

"_Tell me what you want, Julian," she mocked his words._

"_I want you, Brooke Davis, I want to enter your wet folds and release in you," he said as he punched the bed to hold his release before he could indeed feel Brooke._

_He handed her the condom that he had left on the bed when they first started and she seductively rolled it over his stoned erection._

"_But I will have you in my way," he said as soon as she finished her job with the condom and with one single move he was over her._

"_I'm all yours," she whispered and he didn't wait one more second._

_He entered her not too fast, not too slow. He didn't want to hurt her and he wanted her to feel him as much as he would feel her._

"_Fuck Dimples, you are so tight," he said as he moved inside of her and almost released with one movement._

"_What… about… this…" she said, pressuring his member by shrinking her walls, making it even tighter._

"_You are delicious, Beautiful," he bit out through tight lips._

"_Oh Julian… oh, oh… there, there… keep it, oh my God… oh Julian…oh!" She moaned and finally reached her second orgasm of the night as his thrusts intensified._

_Julian was moving really fast. Her walls had relaxed with her orgasm but she was still incredibly tight._

"_Aahhhh….Aahhhh," he moaned as he finally released, letting his body slowly fall onto hers._

"_You're good, Dimples and you're beautiful," he said through quick breaths._

"_I just wanted you to remember every minute of tonight," she repeated his line from before._

"I do remember, Davis," said Julian as he was laid on his bed early Saturday morning; his member getting hard again with the memories of their night.

* * *

Deciding to take his chances, he walked to her building which was just a few blocks away of his hotel. These coincidences were really weird but he didn't care. He looked at the surroundings and saw a café.

"Is it where you have your breakfast, Brooke Davis?" He had no idea New York would have a place like this on the Upper East Side. It wasn't sophisticated or expensive; it was just cozy.

Forgetting the reasons why he was there in the first place, he just enjoyed the environment. A waitress came a few seconds after he picked a table and handed him the menu.

"What do you recommend?" he asked, looking at the pictures of the food. Each one looked better than the previous.

"The French toast is one of our customers' favorite and also the strawberry waffle," she suggested.

"So I'll have both, the toast with apple sauce and a latte, extra foam," he said with a satisfying grin on his face. "Thanks for your help, Susan," he said seductively, reading her nametag and making the young woman weak in the knees. His voice was penetrating and sexy.

He loved women. In fact, it was an understatement. He adored everything about them. No, he wasn't a womanizer. Julian respected his women, though he had never been in a relationship and didn't intend to. He would observe them. He would really pay attention to every detail of their body and antics.

He liked how they always had something that made them unique. It could be the way a hip swung or a way to touch things. It could be a cute foot or a small nose. He just appreciated women. Even when they weren't attractive, he liked to hunt their body and the way they behaved and find something special, something that made them who they were.

He didn't sleep with most of the women he chose to know. In fact his busy life didn't give him much space for sex, though he had his healthy share of it. He had never misled or lied to any of the women he had been with. He had always been honest about what they would have. He would let them know that there wasn't a chance for him to fall in love or to be in a relationship.

What happened with Brooke the other night had been totally out of character for him. Since his teen days, Julian didn't sleep with a woman without knowing her first but Brooke made it impossible for him to resist. Granted, when he found himself in that position, he wouldn't change his ways during sex. Sex was something important to Julian. Something intimate that he wouldn't do just because he was horny. Sex was almost like an art, a ritual, a sacred ritual for him and he would always do his best to make it unforgettable for him and his lady.

He would remember almost all of them. At age twenty-five, Julian certainly had been with plenty of women but every now and then he would remember Julia or Carol or Elizabeth or Carla. Some of them were more remarkable than others but still, he'd remember them all.

Yes, Julian Baker was fascinated by the opposite sex and he didn't do it in a cheap or disrespectful way. He thought women were the most precious thing in life and he just wanted them to know how they should be appreciated and cherished when they finally decided to settle down with a guy.

As for him, he never thought about any woman being by his side for all his life or for a big part of it. He had always thought he was a gift for them and it would be selfish of him to settle down with only one. Yes, Julian Baker was arrogant and he didn't hide it. While he loved to analyze carefully all his women, he was cocky and his comments would often make them blush or aroused. Most of times, both.

* * *

While he waited for his food, he took the newspaper to read the only thing he would read in magazines and newspapers: movie reviews; especially foreign movies. Julian did what he had always loved. Ever since he was a little boy he had loved the seventh art and it was his second passion. Women were his first. Focused on his reading, his nostrils alerted him. He was right; Brooke Davis did indeed have breakfast in the cozy café as he looked up from his newspaper to see her sitting only a table away from him. He would never forget how she smell and he wasn't talking solely about her cologne.

_

* * *

AN: So the scenario is finally set up. They had sex. She wanted to feel something for a change on the last four years of her life. He was after women, sex came eventually and while it was something special for him, it wasn't the most important. Neither of them was open to love._

_We learn what Julian meant when he said he would see more of her. He was looking for a designer, a hot designer, like the ones from Chanel. He felt like his search was over before it even started. It was a coincidence. He had no idea Brooke was Brooke until he read her name on the personal card._

_This chapter's goal is to show a bit of Julian's character. We learn a bit of him as a producer, a bit of him as a lover and hints of how he lives his life. Later on we will see why this interest on women and the total lack of interest on love.  
_

_As for Brooke you will learn more of her later. She is basically the same person of the first couple episodes of season five; rich, famous, successful and deeply unhappy._

_He calls Brooke many names for a reason. The reason will be unveiled later. She is Beautiful, Dimples, Davis, Brooke, B. Davis, Brooke Davis and later Brooklyn (my fave, especially because of the explanation). _

_In addition to this, expect a lot of flirting, BLUNT seduction and a heart-to-heart every now and then._

_As for the sex scene… this is SO hard for me. I never read a book that actually described a sex scene, not in Portuguese and definitely not in English. The only idea I have is from what I read in other fics and I feel a bit lost writing them but they are important on some fics and in a fic like this they certainly are. While this first time was strictly about pleasure, the next time they will sleep around it would be magical and I hope to be able to deliver it and if you guys want to help, let me know._

_One last comment: Julian may seem a bit weird, obsessed or even sick with this woman thing but he isn't any of this. I did a lot of study to build this character and I found out that psychology identify guys like Julian as normal. He has a normal interest on something and this subject just happens to be women. While it may not be healthy for his own emotions, it is something common. And for obvious reasons I will explore the consequences of his behavior on his emotions._

_Next: their second date in the coffee shop. Brooke wants to despise him but she just can't._

_Can't wait to see if you guys liked it, though this chapter isn't one of my faves and it was too hard for me to write, not only for the sex scene, also to find a way to describe which kind of man Julian is without being too rhetorical, I hope it ended up okay._

_B._

_

* * *

_


	4. Julian & Brooke: Brooke

**

* * *

Lying Helpless in Her Arms**

**Chapter 3 - Brooke

* * *

**

"Bonjour, Mademoiselle," Julian teased with an authentic French accent, bringing her hand to his lips and kissing it softly.

"Are you stalking me?" Brooke asked, surprised. "And I don't remember inviting you to sit with me."

Julian completely ignored both of her comments and raised his hand, calling the waitress.

"Susan, could you please combine our orders?"

"Sure, sir," she said shyly.

"Julian, call me Julian," he offered with the same grin as before. Brooke rolled her eyes as the waitress blushed and smiled back at him.

Julian watched as Susan made her way back to the counter before contently turning his attention back to the newspaper he was reading before.

Brooke couldn't believe what was happening. How dare he sit at her table, uninvited and completely ignores her? Or was he using her to flirt with the waitress? What had he seen in that mousy girl anyway? There was nothing special or sexy about the way Susan looked.

_Why do you care Brooke? If he's ignoring you or flirting with some eyed doe, good for you; just ignore him back,_ Brooke thought to herself as she turned her attention back to the magazine she had been reading.

* * *

Julian finally finished reading the review to the newest French production that was about to be released in some American theaters. Discarding the newspaper over the table, he looked up to Brooke who was intensely focused on her magazine.

He rested both of his arms on the table, his hands together, looking carefully at her reactions. She hadn't realized he was looking at her and it made it even more special for Julian. She definitely liked what she read. He could tell by the small but honest smile on her face. Sometimes it turned into a grin and the shine in her eyes made him believe it was either something personally meaningful to her or she was reading a story, maybe an excerpt from a book she enjoyed.

He couldn't guess what she was reading but he knew for sure she wasn't reading gossip or which color would be the next black. Something touched Brooke's heart and he knew because she seemed to be his favorite kind of woman; the kind whose eyes were the window to their souls. They were special. There was something about the way they cared for and loved people. Something about the way they tried to hide behind their emotions but failed to hide it in their eyes.

He had been tempted to make a comment but he didn't. The more he could catch of her, the better. And he didn't want to interrupt whatever was making her so content.

When she finally finished the page she was reading and turned to the next one, she casually looked up to where he was and was surprised by his intense gaze on her. He seemed to be looking into her soul and somehow she felt naked in front of him. There was something in the way he looked at her. She couldn't point out what it was exactly but it was touching and inviting. She didn't realize that her lips curved into a beautiful smile while they looked at each other.

Julian _had_ caught the change in her features. He didn't know a lot about Brooke but his favorite part was already her smile. Not because of the cute dimples that would make her so gracious but because he had already seen a lot of them in the bar, in her apartment and now. It seemed like she had a different smile for each occasion.

They didn't dare say something. What they had in those seconds was too intense to be broken for nothing. Julian was memorizing each of her expressions while she was mesmerized by his undressing gaze. Unfortunately, to the semi-strangers, Susan came with their orders much too quickly. The waitress thought it was weird for two people to be looking so intensely at each other in a café crowded with people. She shrugged and let them know she was there.

While Brooke immediately came back from her trance, Julian didn't move his gaze from her. Susan offered Brooke's food first, especially because Julian didn't seem to acknowledge that she was there. Brooke on the other hand looked to the young woman, long forgotten that she was jealous of her before. She thanked her for her food and looked up to Julian who was still looking at her with the same warm look in his eyes.

He removed his arms from the table to give room for Susan to place his food but his eyes remained on Brooke. For some reason, she felt shy or embarrassed and focused her attention on her chocolate chip pancakes. With a smile on his face, he turned his attention to Susan, who was finishing serving his food.

"Thank you so much Susan. This place wouldn't be as cozy and special if it wasn't for someone like you," he said with his trademark grin.

"Thank you, Julian," she said, blushing as she left.

"So, I think you already got what you needed from me. Do you mind sitting elsewhere?" She remembered pretty well how she felt earlier when he was flirting with Susan.

"I don't think I did," he replied, taking a bite of his French toast, covered in apple sauce. "Delicious."

"Who eats French toast and waffles together?"

"First, I am not eating them together. I'm eating French toast. Then I'll eat the strawberry waffles. Second, it was Susan's suggestion," he rebutted simply as he took another bite.

"Of course it was," Brooke muttered and was tempted to roll her eyes again. She wouldn't let him spoil her breakfast.

"It's good to see you again, Brooke," he smiled softly.

"As if it's just a coincidence you're here," she challenged him, nodding her head and looking up to him with a purposefully fake and sarcastic smile on her face.

"Well, my hotel is just three blocks away. This place is not your go-to Manhattan crowded and cold coffee shop but I admit I thought I might meet you here," he explained, looking intensely at her again. He liked the hints of jealousy but her challenging personality made her remarkable.

"Don't think that your honesty will gain my sympathy. It won't and neither will that stupid grin," she argued, pointing her finger at his beautiful face, despise written all over hers. She was pissed. He was unbelievable. He invited himself to her table, ignored her, stared at her as if he was undressing her and flirted with the waitress.

"I don't need to gain your sympathy. I already have more than that. And that's not what I want from you," he shrugged as he slid his hand over hers and softly caressed her fingers. His body felt an urge to feel the warmth of her skin again.

Brooke felt the electricity and immediately removed her hand from the table.

"And what is that, Julian?" she asked curiously, looking straight into his eyes, her voice raspier than usual. If he was good at this game, she mastered.

"I want to get to know you," he said nonchalantly, turning his attention back to his toast. She barely knew him but she already hated that about him. No one treated Brooke Davis like that. No one dismissed her words.

"And why would I allow you to know me?"

"Because a woman like you wants to be known," he retorted, looking at her.

"Oh, really? It's funny because I don't really like to let people know me, so I guess you're wrong," she hissed, sarcasm in her voice. Whatever game he was playing, he was losing. She didn't really allow anyone to get closer to her. He was wrong.

He moved from his chair to the one beside her.

"What are you doing?"

"Getting closer to you," he answered simply, an easy smile resting on his lips.

"And that's because…?" She didn't like the feeling that came along with his skin brushing hers.

"I like to touch you," he breathed, pushing a few strands of hair behind her ear. "And I want to memorize your smell." He leaned over her uncovered neck and breathed in.

Brooke closed her eyes as she felt his hot breath on her neck. It was a good thing her back was turned to the rest of the café and that there was only the empty table he had been sitting in before in front of her.

"You smell good. I like it; the hint of flowers, maybe patchouli and the scent of fruits. It's not too sweet and not too citric; the perfect combination of sexy and innocent. It suits you, Brooke," he practically purred, leaning back in his seat.

"Thank you," she uttered, still feeling her body reacting to the words he had just whispered in her ear. She wanted to despise him, to fire back with something but she couldn't find the words.

* * *

Their breakfast went fine though Brooke didn't know how to react to him. Never before had a man had this effect on her. She felt helpless and though it scared her, there was something about Julian that let her know she shouldn't be afraid of him. He teased and mixed cheesy lines with hardcore flirting. He wasn't creepy and while he had said more than once that he wanted nothing more than to know her, she felt compelled to get to know him as well. He was intriguing, he was sexy, he was sensible, he was funny and he was always straight to the point with an honesty that sometimes shocked her.

"Well, it was nice to meet you again, Julian," she voiced, placing her napkin back onto the table.

"Don't want to finish the magazine?" He pointed to the long abandoned magazine.

"Oh, I totally forgot about that," she said, taking a look at her friend's picture. "She's one of my best friends. She finally released her debut album and they interviewed her," Brooke explained as she held the same smile from before and now Julian was sure it was one of pride and happiness for her best friend.

Sneaking a look the magazine, he got a glimpse of her friend in a picture with a small blond boy and a raven haired guy. Julian was sure he had never seen any of them before. Then again, Brooke said she had just released her first album so chances are he wouldn't have known her.

"She lives in my home-town. She has this amazing voice and I'm happy she finally made it known," Brooke commented as she read the quiz box with a smile on her face.

"What's her name?"

"Haley James-Scott," Brooke clarified, pride in every word.

"I'll check it later to see if she's really good or if you're just a biased best friend," he teased lightly.

"You tell me. She's incredible," Brooke continued, finally finishing her reading and Julian sensed a hint of sadness in her voice and could clearly see it in her eyes as she closed the magazine and discarded it on the table.

"Do you miss her?" He asked because he truly wanted to know her.

"Yes but we always talk and exchange e-mails. It's been awhile since I went down there but we are always keeping in touch," Brooke explained but the sadness was noticeable.

Julian didn't know if Brooke was being honest or hiding how much she missed her best friend or if it was about something else. He wished he knew the answer because the shine in her eyes and the beautiful and honest smile she held before shouldn't ever leave her angelic face.

"Okay. So I guess I'll see you around," Brooke shrugged as she stood up. He followed her as she walked to pay her check.

"I got it. I invited myself to your breakfast. The least I can do is pay for it," he offered, already reaching for his wallet.

"It's not really necessary, Julian. I had a good time," she said honestly. For once, it didn't feel awkward to be around a guy she had been with. In fact, for most of the time she had been talking to him this morning, she wouldn't think that they had sex, although her body disagreed. Brooke honestly believed he only wanted to know her and well, there was nothing wrong in knowing someone so interesting like Julian. It wasn't like he wanted to get to know her to sleep with her because they had already done that.

"It's not necessary but I really want to do it," he tried, moving his hand to her arm. During all their conversation, he would bluntly touch her. He didn't ask for permission and she didn't mind. It was like a greater force that couldn't be stopped by either of them.

* * *

He proceeded with the payment and she didn't know what to do. Finally, she decided she would wait for him, only giving him privacy to handle his credit card.

"I'll walk you to your building if that's where you're going," he said as he finished with the check.

"Sure" she agreed and the two began to walk.

Their small walk had been silent but it was a comfortable silence and both kept their thoughts to themselves. Brooke seemed to finally be aware of this situation. Nothing good could come of this closeness to Julian. They slept together and Brooke always ensured she would keep her distance from the men she had sex with. But there was something about Julian that attracted her to him. He wasn't the average one-night-stand-guy. He was deep and smart and absolutely gorgeous.

Maybe her loneliness and her therapist had a role in her sudden change of mood towards men. For one, her therapist had been steady on her suggestion that Brooke should face her fears and release herself from the loneliness she had imposed on herself. Also, she had come to realization that all the money, fame, status and power that came with her multimillionaire company didn't bring her the happiness she thought it would. At first it did but now she felt empty and stuck.

Julian on the other hand didn't fight it. The more he knew about Brooke, the more he wanted to know her _better_. She was someone _he_ needed to know. He had always felt like his women needed to know him but for the first time he felt reversed. He was sure it was only because things had gone out of order with Brooke and he wouldn't allow himself to have sex with someone he knew nothing about. And maybe Brooke could be part of the short list of women who Julian had had sex with more than once. He needed to have her again but he would wait until he knew enough about her.

* * *

"Brooke, before you go, I want to clarify something with you," he posed as they reached her building gate.

"Sure," she said, realizing the tenderness and the flirting in his voice were gone. She was surprised and had no idea about what he would say. Their conversation had been light. There wasn't any effort. It was easy.

"I'm here to make business and among other things, I'm hiring a top designer for my next movie," he began and he could see the change in her features easily. She was already thinking he was using her.

"The day before we met, I scheduled a lot of meetings next week with people from the offices of Calvin Klein, Donna Karan, Chanel, among others. I got a meeting with someone named Victoria Davis, from your company," he explained, trying to keep a professional demeanor.

"Good luck with that," Brooke muttered dryly. The name of her mother changed her mood incredibly.

"I just wanted you to know that meeting you and knowing you have nothing to do with my professional ambitions," he continued, reaching for her hand. "I like you, Brooke Davis. Ever since I found out that the crazy girl that hit the rear of my car is Brooke Davis, I didn't want anyone else in the movie because in addition to your designers, I liked you." He moved his hands to her waist. The closer he got, the more he wanted to touch her.

"Thank you," she said shyly. She didn't know if she should be mad at him or not but his nice words and caring eyes didn't allow her to be anything but nice to him too.

"But I don't want you to feel obliged to do it and I'm not even sure whose decision it is-" he started but she cut him off.

"Ultimately the decision is mine," she finished anxiously and she didn't even know why she felt this way but her heart was racing in her chest.

"Okay, but if you don't feel like you should do it, please don't. I won't get hurt as long as I can keep meeting you for breakfast during my stay in New York." His grin seemed to make her knees weak.

"When's the meeting?" she asked, trying to keep her composure. She knew he could sense her body's reaction by the way he fixed her with a satisfied yet hungry stare.

"Monday, sometime in the afternoon, at Clothes over Bros headquarter," he told her, moving his hands along her waist. It was getting harder to resist her by the second.

"I'll be there and I'll decide what I can do for you, Julian. And just for your information, I don't come to the café every morning. In fact, I rarely have breakfast. Today was an exception," she voiced, trying to avoid melting in his hands.

"I'm happy I was at the right place, at the right time," he said, pulling her body forcefully to his and kissing her hungrily.

"I wanted to do this the whole morning," he whispered as they broke apart, his usual sexy grin on his face.

"I don't sleep with my co-workers, Julian," she grumbled as she smoothed her clothes. She used all her self-control to not throw herself back into his arms.

"This morning was nothing about sex, Brooke," he said and she could see he was being honest again. But if this morning wasn't about sex, what was the kiss about?

"By the way, about this 'no co-worker' thing; does it mean that I should cancel all the other meetings I have or that I have to choose between your legs and your designs?" He sported a mischievous glint.

"I thought it had nothing to do with sex," she said, mocking his words from earlier. She couldn't believe she had been so naive.

"It wasn't until you mentioned it. Your wish is my command, remember?" He repeated the words he had used when they had sex the other night.

"I'm definitely not asking you to sleep with me and I liked you more when you weren't looking at me as if you're seeing me naked," she argued, not really enjoying him so much right now. She didn't like to be vulnerable. She hated to lose control and she knew she was on verge of losing it.

"See you on Monday, Brooke," he ignored her, taking her hand from her waist and bringing it to his lips to kiss, just like he'd done in the café.

"You know this is cliché and out of fashion, right?" she called as he walked away, not looking back at her. He only smiled to himself and kept walking towards his hotel.

* * *

_AN: So this is their second date, I prefer date rather than meeting. Julian is totally fascinated and curious about Brooke. He is a good person reader, especially women, and he tries to learn everything about her because he likes to know 'his women' deeply but he is starting to realize that something about Brooke is different._

_Call it love at first sight; explosive attraction, soul-mate, whatever... the fact is they are both totally drawn to each other. For now only Brooke is acting a bit out of character because she is still trying to figure out how to be around him and she is still fighting against her instincts. Julian thinks he is in control of the situation and that he is handling it like he always does. He may be surprised._

_I hope you guys enjoyed. I'd enjoy to read reviews :)_

_B.  
_

* * *


	5. Julian & Brooke: Julian Baker

* * *

**Lying Helpless in Her Arms**

**Chapter 4 - Julian Baker

* * *

**

"So how was your prolonged weekend?" Millie implored as soon as Brooke entered the office on Monday morning.

"It had its ups and downs," Brooke answered, taking the latte her assistant was holding for her.

"So it was better than the last, let's say, hundred weekends?" Millie suggested, smiling softly.

"Well, I got in a car crash the night before my deserved free weekend. I drank my ass off and slept with a stranger. The same stranger was having breakfast in the café I've never gone to before in my life and he'll be here this afternoon, so it definitely was different from my last _two_ hundreds weekends," Brooke rambled, throwing her hands in the air. Why did Julian make everything so confusing and hard for her?

"Whoa. Did you just say you had sex this weekend?" Millie asked, shocked but regretful of her comment when she saw Brooke's glare.

"Maybe I should have brought you some tea," Mille mused, pointing to the abandoned latte on the table.

"No, a latte is fine. Do you have Victoria's schedule?" Brooke asked, taking a sip of her morning drink.

"Yes, right here. She has a meeting with the Italian fabrics dealer at ten, the board at eleven, a free spot at two, a movie producer named Julian Baker at three, the account-"

"Baker; help me out here Millie. We need to find out everything about Julian Baker," Brooke demanded, opening her laptop. She had tried to remember his last name the whole weekend but wasn't lucky enough. She was absolutely curious and intrigued by him.

"Is this the guy from the weekend?" Millie asked curiously, testing the waters with her question.

"Yes. Now seat your cute butt here and help me out," Brooke smiled and Millie joined her, also opening her laptop.

* * *

"He is a catch," Millie commented after they found all they could on _Google._

"No, it means _there is_ a catch," Brooke corrected her, shaking her head. Julian was just _too_ perfect. There wasn't a celebrity on Hollywood with a profile as clean as his. Surely, he wasn't a hot actor or singer but still, Brooke expected some stories, anything.

"The guy is perfect Brooke. He's never been involved in any sort of scandal and you know these Hollywood people have their way with scandals. We couldn't find one single woman, or man for that matter, on his date lists. He's involved with charity. He's come from a traditional family in Los Angeles. He has a lot of nephews and nieces so he might be good with kids. Not to mention his gorgeous body and that grin…" Millie smiled, pointing to the computer screen.

"Should be illegal, I know," Brooke finished for her, leaning her arms on the table and resting her head on them. The less of that grin she saw the better. It was impossible to resist.

"So where's the catch?" Millie inquired, her eyes on the screen.

"There aren't such things as perfect men, Millie," Brooke spoke. There weren't any perfect men but she was sure the world was just full of the opposite and she had already had her share of them.

"But you said he was cocky and arrogant," Millie offered, trying to give her boss and friend some hope.

"I would if I were him as well. He knows his game. He knows he's great. He's so sure that he isn't arrogant, only realistic and I don't like the humble type," Brooke pointed out, even more frustrated. She wanted to convince her that she shouldn't keep her interest in him but the facts were leaning her towards the opposite direction.

Why did the perfect guy have to cross her way? Of all times in her life, why did she have to know him now? When she was feeling so lonely and miserable? When her neediness was in its peak? She was defenseless now and she couldn't keep her distance like she would if it was another time, another place.

"So you have Mr. Perfect wanting you on his movie and also 'to get to know you'," Millie summed up, quoting the last part. "And why is it a bad thing?" She had asked a question she already knew the answer to. Every time someone nice bumped Brooke's path, she ran away quicker than a bat out of hell. Each time she was back with her walls even more impenetrable.

"I need to prepare myself for this meeting. Would you please let Victoria know we'll be there?" Brooke asked, purposely ignoring Millie's question. She wasn't up to discuss it with Millie for the thousandth time. They had been through that conversation over and over again and there was nothing Brooke could do about it. She had her own reasons and Victoria made sure to add her own insight.

Her mother said men would only take her focus away from what was important. Victoria had suggested that she get laid every once in awhile, with someone notorious and famous, to keep some buzz and to take care of her needs, though she also said a vibrator could do it better than any man.

"Brooke…" Milled called for the third time, gaining Brooke's attention.

"What do I say to Victoria? You never join her in the meetings. Do I mention you met him?" Millie asked, confused.

"No. Don't say a word about it; she can't know I met him. Tell her I was reviewing the agenda and it caught my attention. Can you get his phone number or something?" Brooke asked as she sneaked a glance at his pictures on her laptop. He looked amazing in every one of them.

"How can I get his number Brooke? She'll be suspicious," Millie reminded her with a small smile.

"Ask her if she wants you to call him and ask if he is bringing someone else to the meeting so you can get a bigger room for us," Brooke ordered, moving her attention from his grin to her assistant. It was mesmerizing.

"How can you think of everything so fast?" Brooke always knew what to do.

"I had to learn how to survive with Victoria and believe me, if you don't think at the speed of light, she destroys you," Brooke teased, closing the browser window. She couldn't concentrate with that grin. What did this man do to her? She was acting like a teenager in this little back and forth game.

"You tell me," Millie said, more serious than joking, knowing exactly what Brooke meant.

"Thanks for everything, Millie. I wouldn't be able to make it without you," Brooke said with a sincere smile, hugging her assistant. "Now, go and get me his number."

"Wish me luck and God's protection," Millie joked before she left.

"What do you want from me, Julian Baker?" Brooke implored, looking at a picture that held him and his sister. She was always with him at his premieres. He was a rising name on Hollywood. His movies received some good critics related to production but he was still working to produce a bigger movie. Maybe this was his chance.

* * *

Doing her research, she learned almost all she could say about the public person. He had two sisters, both doctors. One of them was married and had four kids, three boys and a girl and the other, who used to accompany him, was single.

He was twenty-five years old and was born and raised in Hollywood. His father was also a producer, a big one, and his mother seemed to be a retired teacher.

"Here you go," Millie announced, entering the room shortly after she left.

"Wow, that was quick," Brooke commented, surprised and took the paper Millie was offering her.

"Victoria seems to be in a good mood. She said she was going to invite you for the meeting anyway. She says she has a great feeling about it," Millie relayed, still shocked by Victoria's mood.

"Good, so she won't be suspicious at all. Did you call him?" Brooke asked, trying to sound indifferent but she couldn't hide from her assistant. Millie shook her head and Brooke let a small smile show on her face.

"No. I left that for you," Millie said, smiling.

"Yeah, I need to ensure he won't mention we've met before. I'm sure if this is a lucrative contract, Victoria won't give up because I had something with him but I don't want her onto me, monitoring my every move," Brooke explained as she took her phone from her purse.

Her stomach flipped as she dialed the numbers and waited for him to answer, which was after the third or fourth ring.

"_Dimples, Good morning!" _he greeted.

"How did you know it was me?" she asked, perplexed as Millie left the room, giving her boss privacy.

"_You wrote more than your name and address on that paper the other night," _he explained, referring to the paper she gave to the waiter.

"Oh."

"_I added you to my contact list. So, why do I get the honor of talking to the founder of C/B?" _

"I need to discuss some things with you before you meet Victoria today. Is it possible for you to be here earlier?" she asked as her heart raced in her chest, even faster than before. She hated to feel this way but it was so… good and the last time she felt it, it had been long ago.

"_I'd love to but I have another appointment just before," _he told her.

"Okay then. Well, I'd really appreciate if you didn't mention we met and especially what we did this weekend," she explained, quietly making small doodles on a piece of paper on her table. Something she used to do when she was distracted or nervous. She was both now.

"_What about we have lunch and you tell me exactly how I should behave?" _The huskiness in his voice didn't go unnoticed.

"I don't know if I have a free spot," she wondered aloud, lying through her teeth but she couldn't show him how much he affected her after only two meetings.

"_I'm sure you'll make it. I'll be there at noon. Don't be late. I need to meet with Donna Karan at one-thirty," _he said,_ "Can't wait to see you, B. Davis." _With that, the line went dead.

"How dare he hang up on me?" Brooke fumed, "Idiot. Arrogant son of a…."

"Who was it?" Victoria queried, hands on her waist as she entered her daughter's office.

"It was no one. What's the deal with the movie producer? I'm curious," Brooke mused as if she had just found out about it. It also covered the anger she felt. Without him even being near her had that effect on her, she could only imagine his idea of his effect on her. Or maybe he was just too cocky and assumed he had that effect on every single female.

"This Julian guy is producing a new movie and looking for some fashion designer. It seems like fashion plays an important role. This is a big deal and I heard they plan to ask a real designer to actually create a line exclusively to the movie. We could make a lot of money with the movie and then sell it exclusively afterwards," Victoria suggested, expecting Brooke to realize the great opportunity they would have.

"So I guess he won't talk only with us. I'm sure he has other designers on his list," Brooke pointed out, though she already knew but she felt the urge to show her mother she had some business insights.

"And that's why I need you in the room," Victoria retorted, walking towards her daughter.

"First, we need you to go downstairs and find you a new outfit," Victoria adjured, grabbing Brooke by the arm and leading the way.

"What? Why? What's wrong with my clothes?" Brooke questioned, almost offended. She was wearing one of her favorite suits.

"They are too tidy," Victoria fussed as they entered the elevator.

"Oh no, tell me you are not thinking what I think you're thinking," Brooke glared, getting rid of her mother's hold but already stuck inside of the moving elevator. That was not the sort of business insight she was trying to prove to her mother but Victoria didn't seem to care.

"Come on, Brooke, you are the only young and beautiful head of any clothes line. This is something he won't find in Carolina Herrera or Donna Karan," said Victoria, motioning her finger to her daughter's figure.

"So you want me to use my body to convince a producer that he should work with us? Isn't that called prostitution?" Brooke asked, hands on her waist. Her mother was unbelievable.

"No honey, it's called making good use of our weapons. You are creative, you are talented and you are beautiful and classy. I'm sure Mr. Baker will take the whole package into consideration," Victoria explained with a confident smile as they reached the first floor where the store was.

"What if he is creepy and disgusting?" Brooke considered, testing her mother's limits, though she knew Victoria didn't have any when it came down to business.

"Not that it's relevant but he is a young, good-looking guy. I'm not asking you to sleep with him but just to show off your attributes, Brooke. I wouldn't sell you," Victoria assured her matter-of-factly as she looked at the hangers to find something _appropriate_ for their meeting.

"You never know," Brooke murmured but her mother either didn't hear her or simply ignored her.

"I'd say something red. This is definitely your color," Victoria commented, taking a micro red dress and putting it over Brooke's suit. Brooke had already had an endless dilemma this morning choosing her outfit. Deciding for something discreet, she had to go through this all over again.

"I am not wearing it," Brooke stomped, disgusted by her mother's choice. How could someone with even the least of professionalism and morals wear that to work? Brooke designed these dresses for girls to get out at night, especially the wild ones but always with class and style, since after all she _was_ Brooke Davis. But Brooke wasn't wild, especially in her office.

"I'm not suggesting this, Brooke. I'm just saying you look great in red," Victoria said as she walked through the different sections of the store.

"Do you think we're shopping?" Brooke asked, incredulous at her mother's behavior.

"Of course not, we are here for business," Victoria reminded her, trying to mend her actions but Brooke knew better. The other day Brooke had called Victoria on being a horrible mother and among other things, she said they never shopped together.

"You are so trying to shop with me," Brooke laughed, shaking her head as she followed her mother.

"Didn't you have a meeting with the board now?" Brooke asked, seeing as it was already near noon.

"I rescheduled it for late in the afternoon. I needed to ensure you were prepared for our meeting with Julian," Victoria said as though Brooke should've known. Brooke stepped out from the dressing room for the seventh time. "This is perfect." Brooke wore a gray dress that finished just above her knees and was tight enough to show her curves. It had a low neckline and a small belt around her waist.

"Don't you think that's too much cleavage?" She looked down at the low neckline, frowning.

"Dear, that's the whole point," Victoria rolled her eyes, a small smile resting on her lips.

_If only she knew that Julian had seen way more than some cleavage,_ Brooke thought to herself.

"Nice to go business shopping with you but I'm late for a lunch appointment," Brooke told her, walking away. She actually liked Victoria's choice, for once.

"Oh, with who?" Victoria canvassed, raising a brow. Brooke never had lunch appointments.

"None of your business; see you at three," Brooke finished and with that she was gone.

* * *

_AN: Can I be really honest about it? I am sort of disappointed about the lack of feedback I got on this story. While I don't live up for reviews and will never set up a number of reviews before updating my stories, I still like to have them. They are a good indicator if I am doing or not a good job and to be quite honest, they simply make me happy and when I say they motivate me I don't say just so people can write something. Before I posted this story I had the first ten chapters written. I was super motivated and excited but now I am just not caring anymore. I like it more than any other piece I wrote but I guess most of you think differently... and it has a simple practical result: I wrote ten chapters over a couple of weeks before publishing it and only one chapter and a half ever since I published because I felt like 'what's the point?' people seem to do not enjoy it._

_Sorry for venting but it was sort of unexpected and while it may sound as arrogance it is not, in fact I was only hopeful people would actually like it. I am probably shortening it to finish it as soon as possible but I will finish it, I don't give up on my fics, though there are two of them that I take months to update and maybe that's the end of this one but I'll finish it._

_I really want to thank Ashley for reviewing and the people who took the time to write me a word or two or a lot of them like Angell did - which sort of saved the whole story for me._

_xoxo_

_-B.

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_


	6. Julian & Brooke: Womanizer

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**Lying Helpless in Her Arms**

**Chapter 5 - Womanizer

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**

"Nice dress," Julian complimented, his arms crossed as he leaned against his car.

"My mom just made me waste an hour of my day trying on clothes to impress you," Brooke retorted, rolling her eyes.

"Mission accomplished," he smirked, nodding his head slightly with the infamous grin on his lips. _Damned grin,_ Brooke thought.

"Yeah because she needs her daughter to show off her body to a stranger as a business advantage over the forty, fifty, and sixty year old women from Klein, Karan, Chanel," Brooke rambled, shaking her head. She couldn't believe her mother but she should. After all, she was Victoria Davis.

"That's definitely an advantage if you ask me," he teased as he offered her his arm.

"Where are we going?" she queried, accepting his offer, holding arms with him and smelling his cologne. As if he wasn't a charmer with the most beautiful grin ever; he smelled like sin, temptation. His manly smell was the best she'd ever smelt.

"I have the appointment at Donna Karan at one thirty. Do you mind if we just eat somewhere around their office?" He tried to get past the crowd on the sidewalk.

"Okay. I know an Italian place in the neighborhood," she suggested nonchalantly, trying to keep her coolness. She would always have to do it around him, even though she had met him only twice before. It was crazy, she thought.

"Io amo la cucina Italiana," Julian spoke, bringing his hand to his mouth in 'mwah' motion.

"Do you memorize lame lines in foreign languages as well?" Brooke chuckled as they entered the cab he had waiting for them.

"No, in fact I speak Italian, French and Spanish fluently," he confessed, proud that he was trilingual.

"Now that's unexpected. Why learn so many languages?" She was suddenly curious. _Adding smart to the list,_ she thought.

"I really love what I do and everything related to it. I have a thing for foreign movies and I don't think captions allow you to get the emotion the characters want to show so I learned." He shrugged his shoulders.

"You are a full of surprises, Julian Baker. Pleasant surprises" she flirted, moving closer to him.

"Are you really going to use your mother's techniques during our lunch? Because I prefer the original Brooke Davis," he said, expecting a reaction. He loved to provoke Brooke. She was so easy to provoke and absolutely sexy when she was mad.

"Well, she said she wasn't selling me and that I didn't need to sleep with you but I might as well have the whole package. I don't like to leave a task half done," she whispered into his ear, sending goosebumps all over his body as she trailed a nail down his neck.

"If you already slept with me then why is she asking you to show off your body?" he asked as he gave the cab driver the money and stepped out of the cab, helping Brooke out. He hadn't been paying much attention to their earlier phone call. He had been more interested in making time for her during his busy schedule.

"That's why I'm here. She can't know we already met," Brooke explained as they entered the small restaurant she adored.

"Nice pick, B. Davis, I really like cozy environments and I've had my share of them ever since I met you," he commented, looking around the Italian-themed restaurant, the waiters dressed accordingly.

"And by the way, we did way more than meet," he whispered in her ear as he slid his hands down to her hips as payback for what she did to him in the cab.

"You know what I mean," she muttered as he turned to the waiter. She brought her hand to her neck, letting it go down to her chest, saying to herself, "Easy girl."

"And why is that?"

"Long story short, no man is good enough for Brooke Davis and Brooke Davis the owner of a multimillionaire company doesn't need boys," she explained as the waiter accompanied them to a table.

"Don't worry; your secret is safe with me. Plus, I don't do girlfriends but I'm sure if I did, your mother would approve of me," he said, sliding his hand to her waist as they kept following the waiter.

"Oh, the arrogance," Brooke snorted with a sarcastic smile. She should hate him for his arrogance but that made him even more interesting and irresistible.

"I'm not arrogant, Brooke," he argued, pulling her chair out for her.

"Realistic, I know," she said, almost immediately regretting the slip.

"Well that wasn't what I was about to say but it works fine for me," he laughed as he moved to the chair across from her.

"Why are we in the back?"

"My request," Julian mused casually, not looking up from his menu.

"Why?" she asked, thinking it was really odd to sit so far away when the restaurant wasn't that full.

"Because I want to know all of you over great food," he replied simply, raising his hand for the waiter. "And for this I need privacy"

"I didn't pick yet!" Brooke complained. He could be rude sometimes and she hated it. That was the one thing she really hated about Julian Baker.

"Neither did I," he shrugged, smiling at her as the waiter came.

"What's the house specialty?"

"I'd suggest you the maccheroni sauced with Neapolitan pork-shoulder ragù on the four-course prix fixe."

"That sounds great. I'll take a look and wait for the lady and then we'll let you know," Julian told the young guy before the waiter left them alone again.

"I already decided," Brooke said after a few moments later but Julian was still focused on his choice. She didn't realize that while she had been picking her dish, he was carefully watching her every move and only now he was paying attention to his own menu. She was just too beautiful to look away from.

They finally gave their orders to the waiter before they were alone once again.

"So… did you have any meetings already?" She tried to start some conversation. She was nervous and Brooke Davis didn't get nervous around men. That's why she flirted with him. It was easier than to try to just be by his side. Someone she couldn't just _be_.

"Trying to gather competition information, B. Davis?" he provoked, raising a brow.

"Not really. You may have already convinced Victoria without any further word but I'm not that easy, you know," she challenged back.

"I never thought you were," he agreed with a soft tone as their wine arrived.

"I started designing clothes because it's my passion and I keep doing it for the same reason," she explained as her glass was filled.

"So, I'm guessing you need to feel passionate about this project?" he questioned as she was being served. That was exactly what he expected from someone like her.

"Thanks" she thanked the waiter and turned back her attention to Julian, who only nodded to the young man.

"So I guess you aren't so talkative to male waiters," she remarked, smirking.

"I propose a toast," Julian suggested, raising his glass and ignoring her comment like he'd done so many times before.

"To what?" she asked, following his motions anyway.

"To passion," he pronounced, looking straight at her.

"To passion," she agreed, softly tapping her glass against his and sipping her wine.

"The passion that makes you so great in your work and so jealous of me," he smirked and then sipped his wine. Jealousy often left him mad but Brooke did even that in a certain way that was impossible to be bothered with.

"I don't do jealousy," she argued with annoyance in her voice, but she didn't convince even herself.

"You could have fooled me. I was pretty sure you were jealous of Susan," he told her, smiling. Her childish and pointless denial amused him. Brooke made everything interesting yet difficult.

"I am not. Already seen, tasted and moved on," she fought back, a smile on her lips. _Why does he remember the waitress' name? Huh._

"Don't fool _yourself_, Brooke. We did it, you loved it and are crazy to do it again," he smiled, reaching for her hand, stroking his thumb along her fingers. The undeniable electricity running across the contact was enough to make him look up but it wasn't the main reason.

"Am not," she pouted, looking away. Was she that obvious? They were flirting but people flirted all the time and the way she did it, he knew she was partially joking. Did she show more than her flirting ways? Was it so obvious that she was craving for his touch and kisses?

"Yes you are and so I am but you need to control yourself, Brooke. Just like me," he said, letting go of her hand and taking a long gulp of his wine. He was having a hard task of controlling himself around her. Her skin was so soft that when he touched it, he wanted to touch every inch of her beautiful body.

"Don't flatter yourself, Baker. It was good but I allow myself a night like that once every five years," she said, taking off her show. "Let's see how much control you _actually _have, shall we?" She moved her bare foot up his leg, moving it up to his thigh, close to his groin. She needed to touch him somehow and holding hands just didn't do it for her.

Julian felt his erection in his pants but this was a game two could play.

"I am a patient man, Brooke," he smirked, sliding his hand to her foot and holding it. "The question is, are you?" He bowled his upper body behind the table and kissed her delicate fingers under her stockings, sliding his hand up to her knees as far as his hand could reach, reaching for her skin when her stockings ended.

Brooke closed her eyes, feeling herself getting wet with the work of his hand on her thighs. She knew she wouldn't be able to hold back her moans so she abruptly pulled her foot away from him.

"Not interested, Baker," she lied, readjusting her body in the chair to keep her composure but her flushed face definitely said otherwise.

"Your eyes disagree," he challenged, taking another gulp of his wine.

"You don't know me, Julian," she said defensively. And it scared her that he seemed to know a few things about her. And again she was disturbed by the thought that it was only the third time she'd met him.

"No, I don't; not yet anyways. But that's why we're here, isn't it?" He interlaced his fingers with hers.

"You keep saying so," she swallowed. Every move he made was filled with seduction, even the most innocent ones.

"Because that's what I want, Dimples. I want to know you more than anyone before and after me," he said with his deep voice, bringing her hand to his lips for the first time that day.

"Why do you keep doing it? It's old and sort of creepy," she complained but never let go of his hand.

"So my lips won't forget how you taste and how warm you are," he whispered, bringing her hand again to his lips and closing his eyes while he slowly kissed her hand once, twice, thrice. "And _this_ never gets old; your smell, your taste, your softness."

"What do you want from me, Julian?" Eyes closed, her voice was barely over a whisper.

"I said it, Brooke. I want to know you," he repeated, letting go of her hand as the waiter came back with their dishes.

"I know, but why?" she asked as soon as they were alone again, desire and desperation in her eyes. She needed answers. She needed to understand him so that maybe she would know why _she _was so allured by him.

"I already told you; because every woman deserves to be known. To have her soul undressed and her heart nude. To share her dreams and know that she is understood," he explained, bringing his hand back to hers and interlacing their fingers once again.

"So that's what you do? You travel around picking a woman to be known?" she asked, confused and somewhat hurt. This time she removed her hand from his. Her defenses immediately alerted her. He sounded so impersonal.

"Not exactly, but if you want to put it that way," he shrugged, grabbing his fork to eat his pasta.

"So that's what you do? You go away, leaving a collection of broken hearts behind you?" she asked, almost disgusted by his little game. Until now it wasn't clear for her that he would do that with every woman he'd met.

"No, Brooke. That's not what happens. I never promised love," he said as he ate his food. His careless behavior was making Brooke even angrier.

"You know what, Julian? You don't need to bother with the meeting today. I don't want to have any sort of business with you and I _so _do not want you to get to know me," she hissed, grabbing the napkin from her lap and throwing it on the table to leave but before she could really stand up, he reached for her arm and held it steadily.

"Please stay," he pleaded and for the first time she saw something different in his eyes; something that wasn't the thrill of the chase or the game. It was something that had nothing to do with the sensitive facade that he pulled; something that seemed absolutely genuine even though she couldn't quite figure out what it was.

"No, Julian. I don't want to get into your personal and professional games. I don't want to be seduced or to be _known_ by you," she snapped through clenched teeth.

"This is not a game to me and my movie is definitely not either," he said with a stern voice that surprised her, one he hadn't used yet with her, not even when he first told her about the movie. "Let's finish our meal and if you don't change your mind, I won't show up today. I'll cover by telling Victoria I chose Marc Jacobs instead."

She wasn't able to say what it was because he didn't want her to see it; Julian was afraid that he had messed everything up and that only thought made him sick in the stomach. He never felt vulnerable and now that he somehow did, he wasn't willing to let her see it through his actions.

"I'm not sure if I'm not disgusted enough to allow my stomach to actually get food now," she retorted and with that, she got rid of his hold, took her purse and began to walk away.

"You almost fooled me there, Julian Baker," she called, looking back at him with a disgusted face and with that she was gone.

Julian was left behind at his table. He looked to where she went for a few seconds. Then he was back to his food, simply like that. He didn't see her coming back inside the restaurant.

His unconcerned actions made her realize that she wasn't making a mistake at all. On her way outside, she'd thought maybe she had been too quick to judge him and his intentions but looking at him now she was surer than ever that she did the right thing. She was just a foolish chase for him.

When she left again, Julian put the napkin to his mouth and softly cleaned his lips. Not holding it anymore, he threw the napkin over her abandoned plate with rage. This wasn't the first time he made his intentions clear, only to be dumped. It had happened a few times before. Sometimes he had been able to make amends and fix it, but most of the times he just let it go. As much as he was enchanted by a particular woman, it was ultimately her loss, not his.

But now he felt something different. His stomach flipped. Not only because he couldn't be close to her but because she thought he was a sick heartless nymphomaniac and that was the last thing Julian Baker was.

But he wouldn't let her go. Not that easily. His promise was for her to stay and finish her meal. If she didn't do her part of the deal, he was free of his as well. He wouldn't spare any pain to make Brooke Davis the designer of his movie and defeat wasn't something Julian Baker knew.

_

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_

_AN: Well when someone like Brooke meets someone like Julian one out of two things can happen: he could finally be the guy that she won't be able to build up her defenses against him or she could be really annoyed (even disgusted) by his forward and straight womanizer attitude. Because as much as he doesn't think he is a womanizer, as much as I wrote him to don't be a womanizer, at the end of day, somewhat he is. But Brooke Davis isn't the girl next door. She is more and that's why both things happen. Let me know your thoughts._

_I also want to thank for the amazing answers I got in the last chapter. Thanks a lot for knowing that it is still a nice story =). I really hope you guys liked his chapter. It is one of my faves and the next couple of chapters is the aftermath of this fight. Surely I will bring some drama, I wouldn't be myself if I didn't. So let me know what you guys think._

_As a reward for your reviews, I am updating this fic twice a week, because your reviews were great. Keep them coming ;-)_

_Special thanks to **Ashley, **as always, without her, these chapters wouldn't be half good. She makes great things!_

_Have a nice week._

_Barbara

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	7. Julian & Brooke: B Davis

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**Lying Helpless in Her Arms**

**Chapter 6 - B. Davis

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**

Brooke was fuming when she arrived back at Clothes over Bros. How dare he treat her like that? As if she was only a catch? Maybe the women he met before were weak enough to allow that grin to seduce them but Brooke Davis was better than that. She didn't need a man by her side. She had the life she had always dreamed about. She made what she loved, she owned her own company, she was independent and she was rich.

She had her job and the pleasure of being successful like no other designer had been at her age. She was loved and envied by most women in the country and she didn't need a man to prove she was happy. _And now you sound like Victoria, _she thought to herself.

She missed her friends and especially her godson, who she loved but she was already working on this as well. Very soon she would have it all; her friends who were her true family and a little baby for her to take care of. She didn't need a man by her side in the picture and she definitely didn't need to be _known._

Julian Baker had his mysteries and charm but he was definitely the most arrogant, cocky, disgusting womanizer she had ever met. He would flirt with a door as long as it was female. He planned his every line, every move, to make any woman weak in the knees. Damned it, he did that better than any man she'd ever met but his intentions were worse than any of the other men.

Womanizers would only want to screw but Julian wasn't satisfied with only a good one night stand. No, he wanted more. He wanted women to fall in love with him. He wanted to know their every secret and dream just to leave them alone when he was gone. How could someone be so cold? He was definitely the lowest man she had ever met and he was right. There wouldn't be a man like him in her life. Not before and not after because even Felix was better than him.

"Millie," she called for her assistant as she passed by the brunette's desk, moving to her office.

Millicent knew something was wrong. Brooke had left a little over than two hours ago with Victoria, annoyed by her mother's actions but also excited about her meeting with Julian. What could have changed in so little time?

"My mother probably has the suit I was wearing this morning. Please get it," Brooke ordered lightly as she opened her laptop, not bothering to look up to her.

"She already left it with me," Millie said, surprised by Brooke's coldness.

"Great, bring it here. I want to change," she demanded as she checked her e-mails. She needed something to distract her and take the bastard out of her head.

"Is Julian bringing someone else to the meeting?" Millie said, risking seeing the wrath of Brooke Davis which she ended up getting anyway.

"I don't give a fuck if Julian is bringing someone else to the meeting. I want him to get old in hell. Let him and Victoria fuck themselves; I want both of them far from me," Brooke nearly yelled, trying to blow of some steam.

"W-what happened?" Millie stuttered. As much as Victoria made Brooke angry, Millie hadn't ever seen Brooke like that before.

"What happened is that I never met someone so disgusting. He is the biggest jerk out there and I don't want to ever see his face again. I'm going to answer my urgent mail and head home. If there is an emergency, let me know. I'm not talking to anyone. You send me a text if you need to talk to me," Brooke explained as she looked at her computer screen but wasn't able to read a word. Her rage was blinding her and she knew it was pointless to continue.

"Anything else?" Millie asked quietly.

"Yes, tickets for Tree Hill for Friday night or Saturday morning," Brooke added as she closed her laptop and placed it in its case.

"What about the return?" Mille was scribbling notes onto her pad.

"No return," Brooke replied and Millie looked up from her notebook.

"I'm the head of the design department. I don't need to be here every day. I will sketch from Tree Hill and come here when the board needs me. I'm leaving, Millie and I don't expect to ever come back, especially if Victoria signs this contract," Brooke explained as she took the papers she needed to read and everything she would need to work from her house that afternoon.

"Brooke," his voice called softly from the doorway of her office.

"What the hell are you doing here?" she asked and if it was something else in her hands instead of her laptop, she would have thrown it at his head. She was that mad. Brooke Davis hated to be fooled.

"We need to talk," he answered, his hands in his pockets. She could see he was miserable.

"No, we talked about everything we needed to. You have a meeting with my CEO. If you and she come to a deal, you have my creative department to your services. _You. Don't. Have. Anything. To. Talk. To. Me. About!!!!"_ she yelled, stressing each word with all the hate and anger she felt towards him at the moment.

"Please, Brooke, be reasonable," he tried, his voice low and calm.

"Brooke, people are starting to stare. Victoria will be here soon if you keep it up," Millie warned and prepared for another burst but it never came.

"You're right. I don't talk to my customers like that," Brooke agreed, looking to her assistant with a cynical smile on her face.

"Mr. Baker, I understand you have a meeting with my CEO today at three. I'm sorry but I won't be able to join you. My assistant, Millicent, will be there and she will let me know the details of your proposal. Now if you'll excuse me, I was on my way out," she tried again, calmly. It was like someone else possessed her body.

"Two minutes, that's all I ask you," he begged, blocking her way out with his body.

"I know my outburst wasn't the best professional behavior of my part. I wasn't being reasonable but I don't think you are either, Mr. Baker. I really need to go. I'm sorry I won't be here for the meeting," Brooke apologized, keeping her composure as if she had just met him.

"Brooke," he murmured quietly and simply. The way he said her name was so intense but she couldn't let him fool her again.

"You talk to Millicent, Mr. Baker, as I can see you are one hour earlier. You probably didn't have another meeting before this one but I need to leave," she offered, remembering he said he would be at Donna Karan at about this time.

"In fact, I did have an appointment before this one and another just after and also a few others later this week but I canceled them all and thanked the companies for their willingness to receive me," he replied, not daring to touch her. He knew he shouldn't provoke her now. She was only barely controlling her temper because of the attention she attracted earlier.

"Well, great for you. If you want to cancel this one as well, talk to Millicent and she'll help you. You didn't need to come down here only to cancel it. Now if you excuse me," she said, stepping aside but he wouldn't let her go.

"Brooke," he called to her, just over a whisper. He didn't want Millie to listen to what he was going to say to her now. "I'm using all the strength I have in my body now to not touch you. I want to talk and I won't leave until I talk to you and if I have to put you over my shoulders and take you away, I'll do it."

"You wouldn't dare," Brooke snapped with disdain.

"Watch me," he challenged with a hard voice but his eyes were soft. They were asking her to give him a couple of minutes.

"I'll call security," she threatened, avoiding his glare. She would give in to him if she kept looking into his eyes.

"You didn't call yet. I'm sure you won't," he mused, keeping his voice low. He didn't know what else to do. He needed to make her listen to him.

He knew he had messed up with her and normally he wouldn't care. He would just move on and figure out a way to have her company help to make the movie, _if_ she were the best in the first place. Now that was a lie. He knew Brooke Davis was the best in every possible way he could imagine. Still, he knew he should just let her go but he couldn't.

"You watch me," she threatened through clenched teeth.

"Millie," Brooke called, looking over her shoulder to her assistant with a smile. "Please call security to kindly accompany Mr. Baker outside unless he wants to follow you to the conference room and wait for Victoria."

"Is that really necessary?" He shook his head softly.

"No, the restraining order you'll receive from my attorney is," Brooke retorted with cold eyes and for the first time Julian thought about the damage he did _to her_ and not to them. He was sure he had hurt her otherwise she wouldn't be so cold. But what could have hurt her? They barely knew each other.

"Why are you doing this, Brooke?" His tone held sadness and Brooke caught it and somehow it made their situation overwhelming for her. There was a time when she hoped to find someone and Julian was everything she used to dream about. He was smart, sexy, sincere, honest, thoughtful and absolutely handsome. He was perfect, except she gave up on this dream a long time and it didn't matter now because he was heartless.

"Millie, I think Mr. Baker isn't staying for his meeting. Let Jack know he is needed here to escort Mr. Baker," Brooke ordered, making her way back to her desk. She couldn't have him on her office anymore. The way he looked at her, not only pleading her to listen to him but as if she was the most important person in the world. The way he made her feel special, cherished and desired, like any woman would want. She couldn't keep this fight inside of her going on.

"Fine; I canceled all my meetings because of you. Because I want someone passionate to make those clothes. Because I want someone sensitive and talented. Because no matter how incredible any of those designers are or how much more experience they have, there is no one I want more than you Brooke Davis," he poured out his heart, moving from the doorway. "And Millie, you tell Victoria Davis I won't be able to make it." With that, he turned and left.

"Wow Brooke, what did he do to you? He looked miserable," Millie commented, surprised by the scene that had just unfolded in front of her.

"I told you there was a catch," Brooke breathed out, looking back to her assistant with a small smile. She was drained from the battle she just had with herself. But at least she didn't give in and now he was gone.

"See you, tomorrow, Millie and please do not tell Victoria about Tree Hill," Brooke smiled and followed the same route Julian had gone down.

* * *

Brooke made her way to the elevator. She was exhausted. If that was what Julian Baker could do with only a few days in her life, she truly didn't want to know what else he could do. She pressed the button for the underground parking lot to take her car and hoped nobody would enter the elevator to see her like that. She didn't need to look at her reflection in the mirror to know she looked horrible.

By some sort of miracle, her wish was granted and she heard the ding announcing that she was on the underground floor. As soon as she stepped out of the elevator, she felt someone taking away her folders and laptop case. Then she felt herself being lifted.

"The things you make me do, Brooke Davis," Julian muttered as he placed her over his shoulder, taking her papers and laptop from the trunk where he'd had them.

"What are you doing? Let me go!!" she demanded, kicking the air and punching his back, "Now!"

"Years of Tai Chi, Dimples. I can handle a feline," he said but the usual arrogance and teasing tone weren't present in his voice.

"Put me down," she kept yelling as he made his way towards the service elevator.

"I would if you'd agree to talk to me," he explained, entering the small elevator.

"What the hell are you doing?" she asked as her hair fell over her face, blocking her view of the panel and which buttons his fingers were pressing.

"Getting you to talk to me," he answered as he pressed the roof button on the panel.

The flirting, the teasing, the arrogance and the coolness were gone in his voice. It was just stern.

"I don't want to talk to you," she exhaled and stopped hitting him. She needed someone to enter the elevator but it didn't happen.

"But I think we need to talk," Julian suggested as they reached the roof.

* * *

_AN: So Brooke is running away. She is running away from many things and people and to many things and people. She is running away from her controlling mother. She is running away from her lonely and empty life on NY. She is running away from Julian because he affects her much more than she is willing to admit._

_She is running to TH. She is running to where she knows she has a family. She is running to Naley family (hadn't decided yet if Leyton will be in the picture or not). She is running to start her own family. She is adopting a baby!!! Yes, Brooke Davis is adopting a baby and in the next chapter I'll give you some details of her plan - though not so many._

_Talking about next chapter... I really like chapters 6 and 7 because they are the dramatic - even if lightly. I like how these two characters are so conflicted and we learn in these two chapters some things that are going inside their hearts and minds. We start to understand why Julian is who he is and why Brooke is who she is. START. There will be chapters that will deepen the subject, this is just the start. Now we only get to know why Julian can't let Brooke go, like he always did in the past and why Brooke is so vulnerable around Julian._

_Although there is a lot of sex - implied and actually done - in this fic, it is not about the sex, but about the characters. They flirt and sex happen because is easier and it doesn't hurt - or hurts less. So while it will be filled with mentions and moments of sex, keep in mind it is the unfolding of who Julian and Brooke are that is the main focus. The next Julian centered chapter, called Julian will give us a lot of background on his character. It is a bit distant yet, but I'll go as deep as possible with these two characters.  
_

_I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. I want to thank for my beta, **Ashley** and though I always answer my identified reviewers, sometimes spoiling a bit the story LOL, you can ask for spoilers, I'll give them ;), it is on you. But what I mean is that I want to thank sb1218; dancefever0234; Nicole; Artemi; pauline77; Love me some Julian; lili; NicoleDavis92x; Becca; kaos2405; __Packersfan04 for reviewing the last two chapters and especially **Angell** (your reviews are always special to me). I love all your reviews and I hope you guys keep them coming ;)_

_Till next week_

_-B.  
_

_

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_


	8. Julian & Brooke: Brooke Davis

**Lying Helpless in Her Arms**

**Chapter 7 - Brooke Davis

* * *

**

He placed her folders and computer over a huge construction on the top of the building and slowly moved her there as well, setting her down.

"Are you out of your mind?" she yelled standing up and walking towards the elevator but for her surprise it was going down slowly through each of the fifteen floors

"I think it will take a little awhile to come back here" he said smirking behind of her. He had pressed all floor buttons before he walked out

"You are crazy, Julian Baker. I don't know which kind of sick person you are but I don't have any business with you" she ranted moving back to her previous spot taking her folders and computer and heading to the stairs case

"Brooke, wait" he said placing himself between her and the staircase

"Why are you so insistent?"

"Just give me five minutes. Two" he pleaded "We go back in the elevator, you don't want to go downstairs fifteen floors"

"FYI I would only walk down one floor and then wait for another elevator from my office floor" she corrected him and walked away back to where he sat her before

"The time is ticking, Julian" she said as she sat there, crossing her legs and watching his moves with disdain. She knew she shouldn't but she was compelled to listen to his explanations. She needed to know that she was walking away from a very bad thing.

"Brooke, I am not this sick guy you think of. I promise I never hurt anyone on purpose" he explained, crouching in front of her. His voice was soft, filled with emotion and truth while his eyes pleaded for her to believe on him.

Brooke looked away. She knew she would give in if she kept looking at those eyes. His eyes were so pure and convincing. She wanted to not believe in him but she it was hard to disbelieve those eyes. Conflicted by what she wanted or saw, she sighed, trying to figure out what to do next.

Sensing she wasn't angry as before he moved his hand to her cheek stroking his thumb on her silky skin. He couldn't say what felt better; knowing she wasn't as mad at him as before or the feeling of her skin.

She moved her legs over what looked liked a water reservation and sat on Indian style, allowing him to sit in front of her which he did.

Brooke knew she shouldn't listen to him. She knew the moment he explained the whole situation she would let it go. But she was so intrigued and curious about the man in front of her. It wasn't about how he looked. He didn't have anything special. He was just a raven haired good looking guy. He wasn't even her type - blond with blue eyes. But out of all men she had been involved with, only Lucas fit to the description. But that wasn't the biggest difference between the two of them.

Julian made her feel so special and important while Lucas, like her mother, always made her feel so valueless and unworthy. The way Julian looked at her, the way he talked to her and especially _about her,_ made him the opposite of any other man she met, especially Lucas Scott.

"Brooke, I am not a womanizer, if that's what you are thinking" he said taking one of her hands and cutting off her thoughts

"Really? Well if I understand it right, your 'knowing' thing is something you do because _every woman_ deserves it not because any of them is special" Brooke hissed and somehow she couldn't bring herself to detach her hand from his. She wanted to listen to his explanation, maybe he had a good one and she didn't need to feel the way she did.

"Brooke, every woman is special on their own way and I think it is a privilege for any man to know what makes them special" he tried to explain. With a smile now on his face he could only think of what huge privilege it was to know _her_.

"Well, let me break some news to you. Saying you do this to the girl of the week don't actually make them feel special. In fact, it makes them feel disposable" Brooke offered sarcastically and Julian couldn't help but chuckle. _She definitely looks cute when she is jealous,_ he thought.

"I don't pick girls every week" he explained

"Julian, this conversation is pointless. You can do whatever you want to the whole female population for all I care. You can pull yourself together and go downstairs and make a deal proposal for Victoria. You still have some minutes until the original time you scheduled is over" Brooke breathed out. She was tired. Tired of the internal battle on her mind. He was bad news, he would hurt her but he made her feel so good at the same time.

"This is not pointless. I like you. I told you I like you. You are sexy and childish, you are passionate and cold. You are funny and stressed. You are stubborn and compassionate and that's what I got with only three dates. I know there is a lot more of you for me to find out, Brooke Davis" he said enthusiastically and for a moment she would believe he was really enchanted by her. She knew he was but she wanted to believe otherwise to spare the pain she would feel if they kept it up.

"Thanks, cold and stressed is exactly what a girl wants to listen. You are proving to make a very poor job on this mission you say you are so proud to be responsible for" Brooke chided

"You are cold when you need to take your job decisions. You don't care if I hurt you, if my deal is good for your company, you'll do it. You do whatever it takes and I admire it in people. And stressed, well, my rental car company may agree on this one. I just think you need some vacation time" he said, standing up from his position and sitting behind her

"What are you doing?" she asked, surprised by his actions

"I want to feel you" he said simply. He knew it was crazy but he couldn't resist her anymore. At some point in that afternoon, he thought she would never allow him to be around her again and he craved to touch her.

She watched as he spread his legs and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her on his chest

"Way better" he said smelling her hair "You smell so incredibly good, Dimples. I love it already" he said with his eyes closed and a big smile on his face. That was the best feeling he could have now. Brooke was on his arms and he knew he had to be this bold if he wanted her back. He knew by her reactions that she was willing to let his past go.

"Who do you think you are and what the hell do you think you are doing?" Brooke asked when she came from her trance. His actions were beyond unexpected. She had been too distracted seeing where he was going until she realized he had enveloped himself around her. She quickly broke the contact and stood up. But somehow she felt good in his arms. And that was made it all so complicated. Being with Julian was the highlight of her year. Or years.

"Brooke, it is just I can't be close to you and do not touch you and do not smell you" he breathed out with his best grin in place and a sweet glare. While it was a tactic to weaken her defenses it was also absolutely true. She was irresistible.

"I must be out of my mind. I think I finally reached the bottom line. Just like my therapist predicted. Because that would be the only explanation why I can't get rid of someone that clearly will only have fun with me and potentially hurt me in the process" Brooke vented as she paced in front of him and then stopped bringing both of her hands to her face. Why did she let him do it to her? Why did she already miss being on his arms? Why did she miss the warmth of his skin against hers?

"I would never hurt you, in any way. You are so precious. You should be protected, not hurt" he said, looking tenderly to her eyes, moving closer to her and placing one hand on the back of her waist and the other brushing her hair.

She only looked to his eyes. She couldn't elaborate something to say because she had nothing left on her. So she cried.

He was what she always dreamed about a man but that wasn't what made it so hard to let Julian go. The way he looked at her was. The words he said to her were. His actions were. She needed to feel loved, cherished and even admired. She had slept around on high school because her parents didn't love her and she let go of Lucas because she knew he loved Peyton. She needed affirmation. And that was what Julian was giving her now with his words, actions and the look in his eyes. And not only now but since the moment he uttered the first word to her. He made her feel the way she had been waiting to feel for as long as she could remember.

Julian Baker didn't know what to do with the woman in front of him. All the arrogance, the cockiness, the wit, the flirting, the chase and the thrill of getting inside a woman's heart were now useless.

He had a broken woman in his arms. Someone he had only knew for five days and he had no idea of what to do about her. He had seen dreams, fears, ideals, love, desire, realization, disappointment, pain, pleasure and surely tears as well. Somehow in all these previous situations he was sympathized by their pain, now he was touched by the way Brooke simply let the tears fall on her beautiful face. What he felt in that moment, holding a _broken_ girl in his arms, was something he hadn't felt before.

Julian didn't know that his talking about what a woman deserves was the last straw for her. All he had needed to say was how he wanted to know not only how she smelled and tasted but also what her dreams and aspirations were. All he needed to be was someone that wanted to understand her and that _liked_ her. But again, he didn't like her enough. She was just his November girl or whatever pattern he used to get a new woman.

While she knew Julian wouldn't ever offer love to her, she liked how he made her feel so special, important, unique and even worshiped. Brooke needed to feel like that. Like someone at least cared enough to make her their priority and Julian made it very clear. She wasn't used to be so important or even protected. Her previous experiences only hurt her. Her parents, Peyton, Lucas, her mother, Lucas again, mother again. It was a vicious circle and the only constant was her getting hurt.

Julian didn't make her feel this way just by kidnapping her. But also when he said he gave up on all other designers who he acknowledged that had more experience than her. When he gave up on a lot of competent and even brilliant people because he didn't want anyone more than he wanted Brooke Davis. In that moment Brooke's heart burned in her chest. She never felt so important. And now, on the roof, his last words finally disrupted the disarray that was waiting to happen for so many years.

Julian would never know the effect of his words on Brooke. What he said in the café the other day and earlier today had a great impact on her. He had no idea of how much she needed to be loved, understood and known.

The decision to move back to Tree Hill and adopt a baby was Brooke's ultimate attempt to finally feel loved. She had only felt loved by her friends on Tree Hill and that was the only place she thought she could be happy again, even if not as she originally planned, even if alone. But Nathan, Haley and Jamie were her family. She had a godson and she planned to have a baby girl very soon. Brooke needed to know what unconditional love was. Everyone, or at least the majority of people, had it at least from their parents but Brooke never really felt this way, except for her friends.

All while she cried on his chest Julian thought about what went wrong with Brooke Davis. Beautiful, rich, successful, famous, admired and envied but somehow it wasn't enough for the frail girl on his arms. It made his heart sink. Of all girls he had met, none seemed as damaged as Brooke Davis and yet he had just met her.

A sudden sense of protection swept him and he felt like he could kill whoever did it to her with his bare hands. Julian wasn't a violent guy and he had never felt the urge to defend and protect someone as he felt now for Brooke. What was so different about this girl? Why she was leading him to feel things he never expected to feel? Why everything about her was so intense?

"I wish I could tell you it will be okay" he whispered after long and many minutes as the cool November breeze blew in the roof of her company's building

"I am sorry. I am so tired, I am so stressed… I am so empty" she murmured through her tears "And I think I couldn't breakdown in front of any of my friends, first because none of them are here and second because I don't want people to see me vulnerable. But I don't know you and you were saying those words and then I couldn't hold anymore" she completed, her face still buried in his chest. She couldn't understand how he made her so comfortable to say things that she had been keeping locked on her heart for years. There was something about Julian.

"I am happy I am the stranger who helped you" he said as he brushed her hair. His words were absolutely true. He wanted to help Brooke Davis the best he could.

"Thank you" she only whispered while he felt her grip on him growing.

"That's why I said I wanted to know you. Because you are so strong yet still vulnerable. Your passion, your cheeriness, your compassion, your beauty make you a woman like no other, Brooke. And I know there are many other things that I can't say yet but I am more than willing to find out if only you let me" he continued . Both stayed with unchangeable expressions and actions

"I can't offer you eternity or love promises but I think you are kind, amazing, smart, intriguing, sexy and absolutely beautiful. I really cherish you" he said as he slowly leaned down and kissed her forehead. "Will you let me know you, Brooke Davis?" he asked cupping her face softly on his hands while he barely brushed her lips with his own

"I don't know if I can" she said honestly. It was now or never.

"It is okay" he said "I don't want to do anything that would hurt you, even if I don't mean to. I'll stop before it even starts" he said sliding his hands from both of her cheeks and resting them on her waist

Brooke related to the words. But on the other occasion she heard something similar it was too late. They were said after the damage was done and the pain irradiated. And she remembered her words back then. It didn't matter because in the end it would hurt the same. The intention didn't make it any less unbearable and consuming.

"What if I fall in love in with you?" Brooke finally confessed her biggest fear "I am sure a lot did" she couldn't afford any heartbreak. She knew she could easily fall in love with him because he was there being all she needed him to be, saying all she needed him to say, doing everything she needed him to do. He seemed to look at her and see more than her hazel eyes and pretty smile. Julian saw the really Brooke and very few people in the whole world actually saw the real Brooke underneath her masks and that would make it hard for her not to fall in love with him.

"At first yes but it turned out to be something else. I am too cocky, too selfish, too arrogant and too immune to love to actually allow someone to nurture it for me" he said nonchalantly, shrugging his shoulders. It didn't bother him at all to be like that. He had no idea of why she was asking. He had no idea of why it was so important for her to do not fall in love with him. He didn't _know_ her after all.

"I try to do something for them but in the end I know I am doing everything for me. Maybe I am not any better than the womanizer that sleeps with tons of women and abandon them after a good night of hot sex. But I enjoy what comes before" he showed the infamous grin

"I am sure you would only need this grin to have them in your bed and this entire 'knowing' bullshit could be spared" she tried to joke but it sounded too bittersweet to actually make him laugh.

"I read so many scripts. I see people's attempts to write love and romance. I see their attempt to add drama and angst. In the scripts, it is all perfectly in time and the boy falls in love with the girl because of her smile or the way she brushes her hair away of her face. The girl finds her hero, or the bad boy that is reformed by love. I don't get these things, Brooke. They seem unrealistic and forced, even though they are written to be only natural" he said sharing with her something he never did before.

Julian never explained himself to anyone. He was always clear with his intentions. But with Brooke he wouldn't spare any effort. He would do whatever it'd take. And it was so easy to say those things to her. He never explained himself because it was hard for Julian to open up but not with Brooke.

"This is the magic of love" Brooke said shrugging. _That's how things are supposed to happen, isn't?_ she thought

"This is the bull that sells and somehow that's what people expect. I expect my life to be anything but a movie and that's why I seize the moment but I am not living this illusion or this fantasy. I am not dreaming about it" he wondered out loud

"So you enjoy the journey and disregard the destination?" Brooke asked trying to understand who Julian Baker was after all.

"I never thought this way before, but now that you put it like this; I think this is exactly what I do. Why do people are so obsessed about the happy ending? The best in movies is when the characters are getting to know each other, you know? It is about their journeys and figuring out who they are, what they want. But it only becomes a way to the biggest prize of eternal love. I don't get it" he said and he enjoyed saying it.

It felt good to share something with someone. He was used to the other way around. He would listen and try to understand what he heard but now he was the one saying it. And it felt very good. The girl on his arms made him feel as good as he couldn't ever remember before. When was the last time he really had a meaningful conversation with someone? He did it all the time about people's life but he couldn't remember when the last time it was about himself.

"Brooke, this isn't only about me. This is about you. I am here because of you. From the moment I saw you getting out of your car and behaving like a crazy woman that night I wanted to know who you were" he said hoping that they could let go of whatever happened, since her misunderstanding of his intentions to the revelation of how empty she felt.

"I am not sure I have the time, Julian. I am moving back to my hometown. I am leaving this weekend" she explained, sharing the hardest decision of her life with him. She was actually surprised how she shared these things with him. She didn't cry about her life in years. She was always trying to be hard even it was only her but with him she just opened up.

But there was something about Julian. Yes, he was the unbearable cocky type but he was also so honest and sincere with her. She would always look at these eyes and see the truth, whatever it was. Sometimes it was a compliment to her. Sometimes it was his blunt flirting. Sometimes it was a simply opinion about something. He was someone any person would trust because he exhaled sincerity. And he liked her. And he decided that she was the person he wanted to spend his time with. _A few more days wouldn't hurt, would?_ she asked herself

Julian was surprised by her answer. He couldn't accept it. He _needed_ to spend more time with Brooke. While he wasn't sure yet if he wanted to know what happened on her life that made her cry so painfully, he wanted to know her and have her again. Her lips, her touch, her body. It was more than a wish, it was almost a need.

"So all you have for me is four days?" he asked and his constant smile, even the smallest, wasn't there and for the first time he avoided her eyes

"Maybe five" she corrected him with a smile

"I don't think is enough, but I'll take it" he said closing the space between their bodies

"I didn't say I was giving you them" she said looking to his eyes as he slowly leaned over her until their lips touched and he kissed her. It was a needing kiss, the kiss both of them needed in that moment.

"Allow yourself to have one last ride, Brooke" he said as they broke apart

She knew she shouldn't but these hours she spent with Julian ever since they met were the best she had in the last years. He was someone she wanted to have around. She looked at his eyes once more. Those eyes said so many things to her. They made her feel special, even if he didn't love her, even if it was for only a few days. She wanted those eyes.

She moved her arms to his neck and pulled him into another steamy kiss.

There they stood, in the roof of her company, kissing each other as the cool autumn breeze brushed the intense moments they just shared. Those weren't memories they wanted to keep because they hurt too much. So they just decided to enjoy the journey. Their journey of four or five days

_

* * *

AN: Okay, so it is sort of hard to keep track of all moods change in this chapter. It starts as a fight then turns into a breakdown followed by confessions about themselves and even fears until it ends with a bittersweet truce: she would allow him to keep seeing her but all he had was five days because after that she was moving back to her hometown._

_I hope I was able with the sudden changes in a couple of hours to show how conflicted they are. To show how __this whole situation is __hard for them . Especially the avoidance they are so used to employ at moments like these. They are both conflicted but for totally different reasons. And this chapter explains Brooke's reasons. Most of them at least. Brooke gave up on love based on two bad experiences during her teen years: uncaring parents that led her to sleep around and being broken by Lucas and Peyton, twice. Maybe she gave up too early? Was Julian a sign that she shouldn't give up?_

_As for Julian we have glimpses of his reasons. The truth is Brooke mesmerizes him. When he enlists her opposite attributes it shows us how fascinating he thinks she is because she has this duality that makes her so hot and so sweet. That was the first reason why he appeared at her office but another even stronger rose during their conversation: he felt compelled to protect her. He was deeply touched by her breakdown and how she looked so broken. _

_All the efforts he is making are to have Brooke with him as a woman, not as someone of his crew. He knows regardless of where they are going personally that she, like him, won't compromise their professional lives because of their personal issues. He knows she is a great designer and he meant when he said he didn't want anyone else on his movie because of her passion and talent but this chapter has nothing to do with that. He wants, more than ever, to know Brooke Davis. And he will have to do his best to learn everything he wants in five days because that's the time she has to offer._

_Thanks to **Ashley** for beta reviewing it.  
_

_I also want to thank for my reviewers: pauline77; Love me some Julian; lili; **Artemi**; Brulian4ever; dancefever0234; sb1218 and two special ones:_

_**Angell:** it is always good to read your detailed reviews. You always make interesting questions and it helps me to know I am actually covering everything I mentioned or suggested at some point. It is like a checkpoint to know if I am doing it right. I love them._

_**kaos2405:** I am still thinking about the great suggestion you did. I guess it is a great idea and one I am really compelled to write. Thanks for being so supportive and for offering your help. I really appreciate it._

_Now I hope you guys like this chapter. It is a very special one and while I like it, I am sort of anxious to know if you like it as well because the tone change is drastic compared to the others. As I told you, chapters 6 and 7 were a bit dramatic but now they got over the first bump and from next chapter on they will be back on their usual routine and the usual tone of this fic will be resumed until the next emotional chapter... that will take place around chapter 11/12  
_

_Thanks for reading and reviewing_

_Babi  
_


	9. Julian & Brooke: Beautiful

**Lying Helpless In Her Arms**

**Chapter 8 - Beautiful**

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Brooke and Julian came back to the underground floor to get her car and head to her apartment. She hated that car, one of Clothes of Bros fleet, but her car wouldn't be ready for another week.

Julian invited her to get back to the café. He had really loved the place. He didn't want to just sleep with her like he did the first time. She had shown so many new layers for him in the past hours and he only wanted to know more about the intriguing brunette. He had no doubts she had been really hurt and he had hope he could help her forget this pain.

"So, are you willing to know Susana as well?" Brooke asked as they walked from her building to the café across the street

"No. Only you, Brooke" he whispered seductively on her ears erupting goose bumps all over her arms

Julian would try to keep things between Brooke and him as light as possible after their moment in the roof. They had their share of emotions and he wanted just to have her the way he initially planned. He would try to pretend he had never seen her deep pain and he would ignore the little pieces of himself that he shared with her.

"I like you more when you are sensitive and saying movies suck" she laughs loudly and her dimples showed

"Sorry to disappoint but four or five days are not enough for Julian Baker to make the full rotation around his sun, so you won't see my winter again" he said in a teasing tone as they walked

"Winter? Are you sure that wasn't fall? Isn't fall the most romantic and consequently overrated season?" she asked

"No, that is the darker side of me, but don't worry, I am sure you will enjoy my summer just as much" he assured her sliding his hand to her waist and bringing her close to him while she smacked his arm playfully

"Victoria is going to kill me. Not only I disappeared in the middle of the afternoon, but you never showed up. It is a good thing that I won't be around her from next week on" Brooke said as they entered the cozy café

"Doesn't she know about your life changing plans?" he asked leading them to the back

"No. She has no idea that I am leaving because it would lead her to know what I am planning to do and trust me, if she finds out I will never have to chance to do it because I'd be six feet under" Brooke said as they reached for the same table they shared the other day

"So there is more there than just running away to your high school love?" Julian asked smirking but his smile fell when he saw Brooke's falling

"You couldn't be more wrong" she said quietly as they waited for someone to go get their orders

"I am sensing heartbreak" he said before he could actually think about it. He instantly regretted it thinking that if this supposed love wasn't one of the reasons why she cried earlier. He was trying to do his best to make her forget what hurt her so much. Maybe he would find something else about this pain she carried but for now he only wanted her to smile again.

"And I am sensing… scratch that… I am seeing your favorite waitress coming" Brooke said trying to hide her pain the best she could. She was also willing to let the moment they had behind them. She didn't want to cry again and she knew if she deepened this conversation she would end up crying.

"Susan!" he greeted the young woman "It is nice to see you again" his grin in full show

"Well, she sort of works here, don't know how it could be unexpected" Brooke mumbled as she pretended to be reading the menu

"It doesn't make it any less pleasant" Julian said keeping his attention to the waitress that blushed to his words. It amazed him how Brooke could be jealous of someone so insignificant to him. He was to Susan what he was to any woman; always charming and complimenting but nothing more.

"What is your suggestion for this time of the day, on a fall's afternoon, Susan?" he grinned to the waitress the best grin he had

"Our afternoon special" she said showing him the picture of a complete afternoon meal with cakes, pies, fruits and breads

"What do you think, Beautiful?" he said turning to Brooke leading Susan's smile to fall

"Who? Me? Are you talking to me?" Brooke said pretending to be surprised. Surely he had to smile to the stupid waitress like that. And obviously the fool girl had to melt at the sight of his beautiful face. Brooke was starting to regret coming here.

"Though Susan is a pretty girl as you acknowledged, yes, I am talking to you, the One and Beautiful, my Dimples" he said reaching for her hand and bringing to his lips, for a quick kiss mouthing 'Can't forget you' while he moved their joint hands back to the table and kept his eyes on her

"Exactly" she plastered a fake smile on her face and let it show. She didn't want to show her jealousy. She knew he would mock her about it and she didn't want the eyed doe waitress to feel like she stood a chance, because she didn't. It was Brooke Davis on the best of her possessive antics.

"So what about we have Susan's great suggestion?" he said laughing. She was one of a kind. Why would someone hurt such a pure woman like Brooke? He adored her childish ways that made her so sincere and transparent. The feeling of punching someone was again on his mind at the thought of someone hurting her.

"Whatever" Brooke asked pretending to be reading her menu

"So please, your afternoon special, Susan and thanks for your kind help" Julian asked and the waitress left

"I like your hands" he mused still holding her small hand over the table while stroking her fingers

"You are creepy, Julian. I expect you to have a thing for feet as well" she retorted

"I don't have a thing for hands let alone feet. But I like to hold yours. It is soft, warm, small. As for your feet, they can be very attractive accordingly to their actions" he said taking off his foot from his shoe and moving between her legs. He moved it up, inside of her dress, between her thighs just like she did earlier with him. This was exactly what he needed to enlighten the moment and for both of them to let her pain to go away for now.

"Julian" she murmured closing her eyes and interlacing her fingers into his, holding his hand tight over the table. As if he wasn't this great guy that knew the perfect words to say, the most piercing eyes and who always did the right thing, he was also the guy that made her body tremble.

Julian held the infamous seductive grin on his face while he rubbed the inside side of her thighs, moving up slowly. She kept her eyes closed and slightly tilted her head back, her mouth ajar. Julian reached for her free hand and brought it over the table and Brooke held it tight just like the other.

"I don't think there is a cold part of your body, there is?" Julian asked as he kept his actions on her thigh but Brooke couldn't answer. If she opened her mouth she was sure she would moan loudly and she certainly didn't want to bring more attention that she was probably already holding.

She slowly slid her body down in the chair as she felt he wasn't moving up anymore. Julian smirked but his smile quickly fell as he reached for her center and realized she was wearing no underwear. For this he wasn't expecting and the erection that was still shy immediately started to make his pants tight.

He looked over his shoulders and saw that there was no movement to their direction in the nearly empty café. He thought their order would take a few more minutes and took his chance as no one was sat close to them.

Bringing his foot back to himself he let go of Brooke's hands and bowed under the table. Brooke was immediately brought back of her high and looked at him disappearing behind the table and emerging back just a few seconds later. She was expecting the teasing remark but it didn't come.

He looked behind him one more time to assure that Susan or anyone else wasn't coming. Getting his confirmation he turned back to Brooke who had a puzzled face and grabbed both of her hands. He interlaced their fingers and kept their hands up while their wrists rested in the table, just like they were before. Then his foot suddenly reached for Brooke's center again. But this time there was no sock between them.

Brooke was surprised and jumped on her seat as she felt his skin against hers. His foot was softly rubbin the joint of her thighs and hip. Her grip in his hands intensified and she let a low moan escape.

Julian kept his eyes intensely on her pleasuring face. Looking behind him one more time, there was still no sign that someone would actually walk to their direction. In a quick movie his foot abandoned the joint of her thigh and went straight to her folds rubbing it softly, he didn't want to hurt her precious center.

"Oh God" Brooke said a bit louder than her last moan but still low enough for only him to hear

"You are not the only one with some action on your feet, Dimples" he said sneaking once more behind himself. He was never so happy for a meal to take so long.

He could feel her getting wet and her thighs trembling. Her face was now blushing and a few droplets of sweat appearing on her forehead. Her breath getting heavier and her grip in his hands stronger.

"That's why you should always wear your underwear, Beautiful. We don't want me to find your clit and for you to have a Sally moment in the dinner, except with a real orgasm, do we?" he asked and his voice was filled of desire showing his own arousal. If they were anywhere private he felt like he would come by just watching her moan and call his name.

"Julian, I want you" Brooke said through tight lips

"And you will have, Beautiful, but now Susan is bringing our food and I need you to wait for later" he said slowly removing his foot from her when he heard a cart being pushed behind him.

Brooke opened her eyes to see his sexy grin and while she couldn't really react, he let go of one of her hands and brought the other to his lips

"There is no taste better than your skin, Brooke" he said just before Susan reached for their table and started to serve their food

Brooke needed some minutes to pull herself together. She couldn't believe she almost had an orgasm in the coffee shop.

"You are turning my life upside down, Producer Hottie" Brooke whispered as she regained some composure

"Just enjoy the ride, B. Davis" he said with his seducing grin

"Too bad it is only a four, five days ride" she mused smiling "So you better make good use of your time, Julian" she suggested licking her lips as her phone went off

"Haley!" she greeted cheerfully her friend "Long time no see, or hear" Brooke greeted her friend leading Julian to chuckle. Brooke Davis was one of a kind.

"Tell me. Tell me everything" Brooke said excitedly as Julian watched her carefully. Just one minute ago she was almost having an orgasm and now she was talking to her best friend as if Haley was in the table instead of Julian. He could see how much Brooke cared about Haley. There was always some shine in her eyes when she mentioned her friend.

"Oh" Brooke said a minute later. The smile of her face fell and the shine on her eyes was gone

"No, Haley, of course I am happy, this is great for Nathan and for you and Jamie" Brooke said playing with the spoon on her latte. She was happy for her friends. It was a great change for them and she honestly thought it was for better but at the same time she was sad for herself.

"And that, of course, I would love that" Brooke said and Julian could clearly say it was a lie, though he had no idea what she was talking about. Obviously she was trying to be happy for her friend but at least for him, that could actually see her, she was failing miserably.

"Next week, huh? Okay, keep me posted then" Brooke said with a small smile. They said their goodbyes and Brooke hung up. She looked at the phone in her hand and sighed heavily.

"What is it?" he asked

"Nothing. Just some unexpected news" Brooke confessed, surprise and a hint of sadness still plastered on her face

"Isn't Haley your best friend from your hometown?" he asked and sipped his coffee

"Doesn't anything escape from you and your impressive memory?" Brooke retorted annoyed. Now wasn't a good time for Julian to be the great guy that would listen to her rambles and actually pay attention to everything she said. It wasn't the best time for him to be the perfect guy because he would never be the guy for her and it was only a reminder that maybe she wouldn't have her dreams coming true. None of them.

"Hey, you were the one that kept saying me I would like Haley James Scott album" he said raising up his hands

"I didn't imagine you were seriously paying any attention" she said quietly mixing the sugar on her latte repeatedly, though he knew she was upset and not really paying attention in her actions.

"I did and I must say 'Quicksand' is a great song. I am definitely contacting your friend for this movie and I hope I can use of some help from you to convince her" he offered and right now it didn't matter what made her so sad and distant, he only wanted his Dimples back and he was sure it would enlighten the conversation if he mentioned the song that he honestly really liked.

"Well, I don't really know anything about this movie, to be honest, so I don't see how I will recommend you" Brooke remarked with a smile

"Yeah, I never got a chance to talk about it with you, did I?" he saw this as the perfect thing to bring the smile that belonged to her beautiful face

"Except that my competition was Donna Karan, Calvin Klein, Marc Jacobs and Chanel, no you didn't" Brooke finally let go of the spoon on her cup of latte, relaxing again on his presence.

"There was only any competition before I met you" he offered and his hand sneaked quietly over the crowded table to find hers. The way he looked to her when he said it made the whole difference. She could see in his eyes that it was absolutely true. That was the look that made it impossible for her to do not spend these last five days Julian. He was making wonders to her.

"What do you need from me, Julian? To the movie I mean" she corrected herself quickly

"This is sort of a sequel to The Devil's Wears Prada, except the main character is not a fashion magazine editor but a hot designer. I need to pick a designer brand to actually draw the movie's costumes and the fictional clothes line. The brand will be overly promoted but in the movie it will be named something else. We also had a small role to the fashion designer to appear in the movie, promoting their real brand" Julian explained and a grin showed in his face as he watched her getting excited as he spoke

"It means I could make a movie playing myself and get my clothes there?" Brooke asked with a huge smile in her face "Will there be a fashion show?"

Julian couldn't help but have the most authentic and beautiful smile in his face as well. Her cheeriness was contagious and absolutely cute. "Yes, Dimples" he confirmed only to see her eyes get even brighter

"Oh my God! Tell me you still want me to do it" she almost jumped on her seat. He looked amused to her actions squeezing the air and shaking her hands

"Of course I want, you are everything I need and want and some more, Brooke Davis" he confessed enjoying her joyful smile and giggles.

And once again the perfect words in his lips. She was getting used to them.

"This is going to be amazing, Julian. I promise I will create my best line ever" the excitement on her voice was making his grin endless at this point. He couldn't wait to actually start working with Brooke. He knew she was leaving in five days but he would do his best to have her to come to New York now and then.

"I don't expect anything less from you, Brooke" he said and brought her hand to his lips. Brooke grew to like it, especially when he did it after saying the words she needed to listen. The way he held her hand, the way he closed his eyes for a fraction of a second to smell it before bringing his lips softly to her skin. It was sensual, even sweet. In fact she missed it when he spent longer without doing it. Yes, Julian Baker was exactly what she needed now.

* * *

They ate their food discussing the details of the movie. Brooke was already thinking of how she would handle it from Tree Hill. But then she remembered of Haley's phone call some minutes ago and zone out. Julian obviously caught the moments she actually stopped paying attention and went quiet. He wanted to know what she was thinking but he knew he shouldn't push. It was a hard day for her, actually for them and he would give her some space. He felt like she needed it, so he preferred to ignore it. But it was hard. It shouldn't be, but it was.

They finished their food and once again Julian insisted to take care of the tab. Brooke protested for almost ten minutes about how sexist it was but he ended up paying for everything.

They left the café and walked back to her apartment, both happy with how their day was ending.

"Do you want to talk about Haley? It seemed like it was hard for you" he finally asked with his arm around her waist. Brooke already felt comfortable with his moves.

As much as Julian tried to be indifferent to her actions, even if he was giving her space, even if it was better for her, even if it was better for him to keep some distance, he just couldn't. He hated when anything stole her joy. She was absolutely radiant when she smiled and that was the only way she should ever look.

"I hate your memory" Brooke pouted hitting his arm playfully

"I can't help Brooke, anything you say is important to me and I can't forget" he admitted bringing her close to his body "Especially if it steals this beautiful smile of your face. Nothing in the world should make you sad"

"I like flirting and naughty Julian more. The cheesy version doesn't match my type" she complained as they stopped in front of her building

"I can't be naughty now" Julian confessed tracing the contour of her face with his finger, tapping the tip of her nose in the end. As much as he wanted to feel her inner fresh on him again, he wanted to wait. He wanted to move their pseudo relationship to the next level. He wanted her to feel the intensity of the moment as much as he would and he wasn't sure if after a wearing day like today it will be possible.

"Why not? I like him so much better" Brooke whined playfully hitting his chest with one of her hands. She couldn't keep her hands off of him.

"So, are you inviting me to properly know your residence or not?" he changed the subject with both of his hands on her waist. He couldn't be around her and do not touch her. The words he said earlier in the roof were absolutely true. It felt good to have her in his arms. He could see that she already seemed more relaxed when he held her like that.

"I think you know it fine" Brooke seductively muttered sliding her body into his and her hand from his neck to his chest.

"I know your bedroom but I don't really remember your living room and kitchen. I was sort of distracted. And later busy to get myself out of your place after you kicked me out" he said smiling and also feeling his body answer to her touch.

"Sorry for that… but don't you think you will be distracted tonight?" she asked with a mischievous face. Ever since his actions at Villa's she was feeling her folds throbbing between her legs. She needed to feel him inside of her. She wanted to feel him inside of her and she wouldn't spare any of her seduction tricks to accomplish her wish.

"No, I promise to behave" he said embracing her and smelling her natural smell mixed with her perfurm. The combination he liked so much.

"What if I don't want you to behave" she whispered in his ear as her hand slid down to the bulge on his pants.

"I will still behave" he said slightly touching her ear in the process

"I will ensure that Hottie Julian shows up any time along the night" she said detaching her body from his. She walked a few steps and stretched her hand for him to join her. Tonight was going to be their night, she thought.

* * *

_AN: Yay, I updated again. The bad news is that **Ashley** didn't review this chapter either (the last is still waiting to be replaced). She was/is very busy and out of the 4 chapters I sent to her she sent me back the two of A LOVE TO REMEMBER, which I already posted. So as soon as she sends me back the two of this story I'll update. She said it would be early this week._

_I love this chapter because Brooke is amusing when she is jealous. I also like the flirting, the sex and the reference to Harry and Sally. Then Haley calls and well, if you hadn't figure it yet, it will be revealed in the end of this volume what she actually said to Brooke (btw I wrote yesterday the last chapter (18) and I hope that I did it well. I started the Volume II and well, that would be totally different but when it comes closer we talk about it)._

_Julian wants to ignore her pain. She wants to ignore her pain. They want to live this adventure but it is getting hard for both of them to forget it, especially her... but they know they have to keep things lightly if they want to really enjoy the ride as both suggested._

_I won't mislead you guys about next chapter... there won't be sex, yet, but there will be some hot action... again... I am such a tease. Well, Julian is and let's say Brooke doesn't like to be 'rejected' when she is so horny, so she will whiny a bit and let's say Julian will shut her up doing what he does best... and that's when their 'relationship' really starts to change. It is like a milestone, so next chapter is really important._

_I am so happy most of you supported me through the last chapter tone. It was important to the story and it is important to me that it wasn't such a disappointment. But I am glad that who didn't like - or felt like it was written by someone else - said it. I hope I made up with this chapter but I should also warn that chapters will become more emotional because the plot thickens. As much as I could make Brulian a version of Chuck & Blair, I won't because I not such a fan of Blair and their sort of thing. A bit of spice, challenge, flirting and adventure is nice but I don't like it when shows only this (though I know Chair love each other and are more than this, and that's why I don't dislike them)._

_Thanks to NicoleDavis92x; Sab; Brulian4ever; Syrine.B; lili; Artemi; and Love me some Julian for reviewing the last chapter and I hope to read from you guys in this one as well._

_I have no idea when I am updating this because I hadn't talk to Ashley about the next chapters. I know she will send me these last two soon, so that's why I posted but if she can't do any beta this week, I don't know when I'll update, unless any of you actually want to review it :P_

_Talk to you soon, have a nice week._

Barbara


	10. Julian & Brooke: Brookie

**Lying Helpless in Her Arms**

**Chapter 9 - Brookie

* * *

**

"You have a nice place here, B. Davis" he said as they entered her penthouse

"You said that the first time around" she giggled while she threw her bag and laptop case over the counter

"I really like it here" he said looking around at her decoration. It was fancy and modern but it didn't feel cold like most of modern decorated places. It was warm. Maybe because there was a lot of red or probably because everything about Brooke Davis was warm. There was no coldness in her and this was one of his favorite things on her.

Her apartment had her name on it. It was cozy. Had Julian mentioned how much he loved cozy places? They were the exact contrast of the house he had grown up. He could remember the first time he visited his sister on North Carolina, after she got married and had the first baby. He had loved her southern house. He didn't want to go back to LA not only because of his niece who was the most beautiful baby he had ever seen, but especially because he felt good there.

There was something about the smells, the sounds, the furniture; it was warmer than his house in Los Angeles, though the weather in North Carolina was actually colder than California. He felt embraced by the snugness of his sister's house and by her love and care to the newborn. That first day he knew Isabella would be a great mother, totally opposed to theirs.

"Can I get you something to drink?" she offered while he seemed to zone out

"No, I am okay"

"So I think I own you a tour at my apartment?" she whispered seductively on his ear from behind

"I guess you do" he agreed turning around and moving his hands to her hips

"What did you do to me, Julian Baker? I am not this girl for five years" she asked moving her arms to his shoulder and caressing the back of his head. Brooke really hadn't felt so relaxed and comfortable around someone in a long time and she really didn't want to remember about her last time. She was content with the current one.

"I am happy to see the genuine Brooke Davis. Her giggles are contagious and her cheeriness vicious. Her dimpled smile is probably the brightest light out there" he described her seeing the brunette's big smile showing her full dimples.

"You are such a seducer, Baker" she stated closing the space between their bodies. He was saying the perfect things to her, why wouldn't he give in?

"Not tonight, remember?" he brushed quickly her cheek before breaking contact "Show me your home, B. Davis" he suggested leading the way to the main hall

"Teaser doesn't suit you, Baker, I know you mean business and so I do. We work better that way" she said following him

"You look hot when you are confident, Brooke Davis" he whispered as he grabbed her by her waist when she was passing by him. She was making it very hard for him to resist. He was on verge to just rip her clothes right there but he wanted it to be special. He wanted her to fully enjoy and live that moment.

"Do you have to use the full name all the time? Now and then is charming but so much makes you my teacher on college" she complained still in his arms

"I can't help, I love your name in my mouth, _Brooke Davis_" he stressed her name. The way he said it made her weak on her knees. She loved how he said each word, each syllable. Everything that came out of his mouth seemed to have been planned and rehearsed and yet he was so spontaneous. And so perfect.

"You are torturing me" she muttered with her eyes closed

"I am sorry, let's start the tour" he let go of her body and offered his hand for her to take

They entwined their fingers and she leaded the way. She started with her home office, then her guest rooms, the bathrooms, the kitchen and finally her bedroom

"I guess this one you remember vividly" she smiled as she sat on her bed leaning back on her elbows

"I remember vividly of you, Brooke. I didn't see anything else that day except for you" he said from the doorstep, his arms crossed on his chest and one of his legs bent

"So why don't you come in and get yourself familiar with the environment?" she suggested raising her eyebrows and slightly tilting her head up

"I prefer to watch you on your own environment" he said licking his lips. She looked absolutely tempting laid in her bed.

"Voyeur much, huh?" she teased moving her hands inside the skirt of her dress and sensually peeling off her stockings

"Brooke" he pleaded moving from his spot and reaching for her hands "I am not here for the sex. You are beautiful, sexy as hell, but I am not here to simply have sex with you" he explained stopping her hands action. He had to stop her before he couldn't stop himself. Sex was really important to Julian and he wanted to make up for the first time they slept together. Not only for her pleasure but also for his. The next time they'd have sex he wanted the whole experience, not only the physical.

"So what do you want from me, Julian?" she sighed frustrated and letting her upper body fall in her back. _This is embarrassing,_ she thought. He clearly didn't want to have sex with her again and she was offering herself as if she was a whore.

"You know the answer" he answered crouched in front of her, crossing his arms over her knees and resting his chin over them

"All this knowing thing is getting old and frustrating. You tease me all day. You say the right words to let me flipping inside" she confessed leaning on her elbows again and raising her head to look at him.

"I can't help it, Brooke. You are beautiful and I am… me" he said looking at her eyes, his voice sending shivers to her spine.

"So what? You didn't like the first time around?" she showed off her insecurities. Maybe spending so much time without sex made her lose her ways with it.

"You were memorable, remarkable, unforgettable and insanely hot, Dimples. A man can't ask for more" he said removing his arms for a moment to give her knee a quick peck.

"So what's the problem? Why are you avoiding having sex with me like I am the plague?" she asked and he could almost see a hint of hurt on her eyes.

"I am not avoiding having sex with you, Brooke. We were two strangers when it happened and the next time I feel myself inside of you I want to look in your eyes and see what you are feeling and what you'll need. I want to know where to touch, where to kiss, I want to fulfill all your needs" he said crawling over her slowly

"Trust me, you knew exactly what to do" she said resting her head in the bed again as he advanced over her body

"I am not talking only about what your body needs" he said when their faces were finally in front one another

"Sex doesn't imply any other needs" she said with mixed feelings. She was aroused but also feeling vulnerable and still embarrassed.

"For me it does" he said brushing her hair while he looked intensely in her eyes

"So what? Do you want to make love?" she asked confused. He avoided love as much as she did, what else would sex involve if not love?

"I never did and never will mention love" he confirmed her thoughts and only increased her doubts.

"So what is it, Julian? I am tired of his mouse and cat thing. I don't know what kind of magic or voodoo you did but I am entangled in this net you built. I am willing to throw off my clothes, in my bedroom and let you do whatever you want with me but you won't have me" she said breaking contact with his eyes and turning her face to the side. She hated to feel so exposed and tears threatened to fall.

Now it was more than a hint, it was a glimpse of hurt. Julian knew she had been hurt before and she was vulnerable and fragile and he couldn't think of anything more beautiful. He never met a woman like Brooke Davis. It seemed like she had a little bit of all of them and still she was totally different, she had something that was only hers. But he couldn't hurt her and if to spare her of any pain he had to do things her way, he would do it.

"If you really want me to take you right now, I'll do it. Only if that's what you really want" he said still brushing her hair

"You already ruined the moment" she pouted still avoiding to look at him.

"You are more than some handy sex. You are more than sexy. You are more than hot. You are more than your legs, skin, breasts and ass. I see them and I like what I see but what I see in your eyes is more important. And I want to see it when we make it again." he said using his hand to move her face back to him.

"Too bad that I only have legs, skin, breasts and ass to offer" she mused trying to move from underneath him but having no success as his strong arms and legs wouldn't let her.

"You have much more to offer and while I won't be the one to happily receive the prize I am sure the man you decide to give your heart will be the happiest man on earth, Brooke" he said as he tried to stop her fighting to leave the bed.

"Right. You don't want it for a reason, Julian" she retorted finally giving up fighting him.

"The only reason is me, not you" he justified and with that he leaned down and reached for her lips.

Brooke didn't fight the kiss. It was too gentle and too soft to be fought. It wasn't rushed by desire or needing. It was calming and reassuring. The way he slowly moved his lips and both of his hands caressed her hair and cheeks was impossible to be stopped.

He was leaning on his elbows to do not hurt her. He knew she wouldn't be hurt by his weight but he felt like she was china in his hands. He had never been this gentle to any woman before her; though he didn't use to be rough either. While he was always careful, he was also always aroused and desire controlled his actions. But with Brooke it wasn't what leaded his actions, though it was there as well. There was something more and he wasn't willing to find out what it was right now. He wanted to enjoy this moment and nothing more.

He touched her lips and pulled back some fractions of inches and barely touched them again. It was like he was asking her to chase his mouth. It was inviting and not longer she finally grabbed his head and lowered it down to full touch her lips. He resumed his first actions and never rushed or deepened the kiss. It was different. It was special. It was _personal_.

She finally realized what he said earlier about knowing. She finally understood what he was talking about. Intimacy. Brooke couldn't remember the last time she let someone be intimate to her. Damn, she didn't remember the last _she_ was intimate to anyone. And it felt _so_ good. It was one of these feelings she kept herself from. It was one of these feelings that made things complicated and eventually leaded her to be hurt.

She had accepted that her needing and loneliness made her let Julian get closer but there was something else and unlike him, she was willing to figure it out. She only hoped it wasn't love. Intimacy and vulnerability was something she was willing to share for a change. It would make her feel good. It would be a break, a deserving break, of all the rush of things she had faced and fought in the last years. But not love. She couldn't fall in love with him, especially when he said there was no room for it.

She was allowing herself to have these few days with him but she wouldn't allow her heart to develop any feelings to the perfect guy that was kissing her now. She needed control. She needed to be able to have it as she wanted and control when to start and when to stop. Intimacy and vulnerability were totally different of developing feelings and these she wasn't entitled to have.

"This is good" she muttered in his lips

"I know" he agreed not stopping his moves

* * *

They stood in her bed for longer than she could count. Just kissing. And while arousal was built it was also fed by the kisses alone. Their lips never found something else than their mouths. It didn't move to their necks and jaw lines. The more they kissed, more they wanted and more they _needed_ it.

Julian hadn't seen that coming. He only wanted to make her fears and anxiety to go away. He only wanted one kiss to shut her up but once he started he couldn't stop. Her taste, her smell, her softness. All about her lips made him hungry of more and more. Oddly it didn't make him hungry for more _than_ her lips but only more _of _her lips. She mentioned magic earlier. He knew he had a way with women but Brooke Davis was the first to ever find a way _with him._ She seemed to have been working some magic by herself.

He gave her one last peck in the lips and rolled his body by her side.

She didn't say anything. He brushed her hair and whispered how beautiful she was. He couldn't help himself and not do it. The more time he spent with her more beautiful she looked to him. It was crazy but absolutely _beautiful_.

She rolled over her side and propped her head on her arm while he caressed her. Who was this man and what was he doing to her? While her fears and defenses were screaming for her to back off she couldn't bring herself to do it. She couldn't control her actions around him and this was exactly what she's been avoiding but somehow she didn't realize her lack of power over this situation because the situation was too good to be denied or interrupted. She just couldn't stop.

"What do you want to do?" she asked after a while holding his chin and rubbing it with her thumb

"I could be like this with you all the night if you want" he said grabbing her hand from his chin and kissing it, the way only he did it. She was already missing it if she was honest with herself

"Sounds tempting" she said and for the first time she copied his actions and brought his hand to her lips. She closed her eyes and slid his palm on her cheek. She turned her head a bit and kissed it smelling his big hand by rubbing her nose on it. Turning his hand she kissed his backhand and once again rubbed his hand on her face. He had big and beautiful hands and he smelled so good, he was warm and his skin was just soft. She was surprised by her actions and especially by the outcome. She didn't want let go. It was so good to feel his skin against hers but with one last kiss on his palm she released his hand.

It surprised him more than her. No one ever did it before. Fair enough he didn't do it to everyone. He had done before but it never had the same meaning for him as doing it with Brooke. While the reason was the same, to feel the warmth and smell of his woman, the felling with her was totally different and unexpected. He craved for touching her, for breathing her smell and savoring her taste, for being as close as possible to Brooke. And what she just did was amazing. He had no idea if that was how she felt when he kissed her hand but he couldn't think of a better feeling now.

"I'd suggest us to move to a more comfortable position, especially you" he softly spoke caressing her cheek with the back of his fingers

"Okay" she said over a whisper

He stood up and took off shirt, keeping only the wife beater and his pants "Change into something comfortable, I am sure this belt is killing you" he pointed out as he crawled to the head of bed resting his back on the headboard.

Brooke was so lost in the moment that she hadn't really realized that indeed her dress was anything but comfortable to stay in the position she was laid.

"I will" she said with a soft smile as she stood up and walked to her closet taking an old t-shirt. She changed her clothes in front of him. She wasn't embarrassed or worried about it. It felt natural and there wasn't anything sexual about it. She didn't make the usual sensual moves she did when she was stripping in front of a man. She wasn't trying to seduce him and they both knew it. But it didn't mean Julian wasn't on a trance as she did it, admiring her perfect body.

She climbed the bed and also sat on it, resting her back on his chest. They started to talk about many things in their lives. He talked about movies he had produced. She talked about her fashion shows and her friends. They spent hours talking and it wasn't uncomfortable or awkward for one moment.

They paid attention on every detail of the stories the other shared. They laughed and they even cried laughing of some of the embarrassing situations they witnessed in their careers. About any stupid thing an actor or a model would say or some ticklish situation they had to handle.

Their bodies always finding their way to one another's. She would rub his stomach, thighs, chest, jaw line, hair. She would give quick pecks in most of these places as well. He wrapped his arms around her and most of the time he kissed her head, hair, forehead, cheek and lips. Always softly and quickly. His arms felt so good around her body that he could listen to her crazy stories for the rest of the days he had with her. Thinking about the small amount of time they had ahead of them made his heart sink and he felt like he should leave. He didn't want to get so used to her because he knew he was losing her in a few days.

And that was just a weird feeling. He never felt like he lost a woman. He usually felt like their time was over and that both of them should move on with their lives in their separate ways. Some of them missed him and called but he never looked back to what they had because he didn't miss it. He never felt like he lost them or lost something with them but now the feeling of loss was rising on his chest and he wanted it to go away. He wouldn't allow himself to feel like that for anyone. Not even Brooke.

"I should be going" he said when the clock on her night stand showed almost eleven.

"Okay" she agreed. She wanted to ask him to stay. But somehow she found a way to regain control of the situation and didn't let her emotions to lead her actions.

"What about we have breakfast tomorrow morning? At Villa's?" he suggested.

"So you can keep flirting with Suzanne" she retorted rolling her eyes.

"You know her name is Susan and I have to tell you, jealousy suits you perfectly" he teased, kissing the very side of her face, his nose actually brushing her ear.

"I told you I don't do jealousy" she pointed out smiling. She knew she was jealous of the petite waitress but she wouldn't ever admit it.

"Right" he agreed with a grin and stood up collecting his shirt from the floor to dress up.

"I also told you I don't have breakfast. I don't have time" she completed noticing his toned body in the wife beater.

"This is not healthy Brookie. I'll be here at 7am, let your doorman know and let me in" he said while he buttoned up his shirt.

"Brookie?!? Seriously?" she said with a laugh shaking her head "I feel like a five years old"

"I like your name and all its possible derivations" he said climbing over the bed again

"Good night, Brookie" he said kissing her forehead "And FYI you are five years old" he completed with his full grin on show

"Am no--" she started but he cut off "And fifteen, twenty two, thirty, forty. You have the best of each age, the pureness; the vulnerability; the refreshing freedom; the intensity and the hot confidence. I think it is alluring" he completed moving out the bed while she blushed. He really knew what to say to make her melt and flip inside

"Thank you, Julian, for tonight, for today" she said standing up from the bed and hugging him, taking more time than any other hug she would share with someone else. In that moment he knew she had felt exactly the same thing he did and while it was what he looked forward all the time, it still was much more intense than he ever expected. Probably because she wasn't the only one opening herself.

He opened himself to the woman in his arms and while he wasn't willing to actually keep doing it, he was happy he did. She was learning many things about him and he felt good sharing them with her. Either the ones he told her either the sensations or feelings they shared.

"Bye" he said kissing her head and walking away. He needed to leave her before he would say something he would regret.

* * *

_AN: Please don't kill me. I am so sorry that I haven't updated in a while even though I have ten chapters written. Actually I was waiting for Ashley to beta review it but I guess she is very busy lately so I decided I will stop the beta thing for a while. I guess I learned a lot with her and I feel like I improved my English. While I want to give you my best, and it includes a decent English, I won't deprive you of chapters I actually have written because of my language limitation. I guess I make myself understood most of times and if you don't understand something just ask me._

_I could ask someone else but I really cherish Ashley. She has been amazing to me and she became irreplaceable until the moment she says she can't do it anymore. Some very nice people helped me with some chapters in the past but I feel like I'll stick up with her because of her kindness to me. So while she can't actually do it._

_Now about this chapter. I am biased, I know, as I wrote it, but I LOVE IT! I like what they share, I like their battles, I like how they can't stop themselves, how they can't resist each other. Maybe it is not too obvious but Julian and Brooke aren't really comfortable in this position. They guard their hearts, they always did (Brooke actually gave it to Lucas once but that's it) and they plan to keep doing it but they are trying to be 'physical' about this relationship or at most enjoy the best of the sensations it gives them but avoiding the feelings like plague._

_In this chapter I explore the intimacy sensation. They are starting to be intimate to each other and it changes everything. A kiss and an intimate kiss are absolutely different things. And that's what Julian always looks forward. He wants intimacy, he wants to have a connection with the woman he is with, especially during sex. As the story develops the references to his past will become less common. Actually the next chapter is all about Julian. There will be flashbacks and we will learn about two women of his past and about his family._

_So be prepared to a different chapter. There will be no interaction (except for a text). It will be exclusively about his background and his current feelings but still a very good chapter :)  
_

_Also the Monday has finally ended. Yeah, it is still Monday and the third time they met. They started the day as great as they could, then Brooke had a meltdown and decided to have one last good thing on New York before she settles for the life she wants to have in TH. They had a pleasant afternoon in the cafe and a nice night at her house and both moments stirred up some feelings and sensations that will be explored from now on._

_I would love to have reviews though I know I hasn't update but I'll resume my average until Ash is able to check it again. Thanks to Kayla, Sab, Syrine.B, lili, Artemi and kaos2405 for the reviews._

_Have a nice week. xoxo, Babi  
_


	11. Julian & Brooke: Julian

**Lying Helpless in her Arms**

**Chapter 10 - Julian**

**

* * *

**In the next day Brooke woke up one hour earlier than usual to meet Julian at Villa's. She didn't have a nice night of sleep. She had been anxious and thinking about the events of the previous night.

What she and Julian had was special and she was getting involved by the sexy producer. She missed his touch, his voice, his lips, everything about him. He truly wanted to know her. She had basically offered to have sex with him last night and he turned her down as gently as possible. She felt embarrassed for her actions but the way he handled it set her free of guilt. She knew he wanted exactly the same thing, except that he wanted it to be intimate.

While he was doing one of his already famous speeches she was pissed and disappointed. She was pissed because he teased her the whole afternoon, touching, kissing, licking, and smelling. They had eye sex, thumb sex, feet sex and any other of sex that wasn't sex-sex. His voice was deep and absolutely sexy and when he turned her down she was pissed. She was disappointed because this time she was actually interested. Many men teased and tried to seduce her but she never really wanted anything with them but with Julian she wanted.

She wanted him because she had finally allowed herself to have this last adventure in New York. She knew the life expecting her in Tree Hill wouldn't include someone like Julian Baker. That and also because well… he was Julian Baker. There was something about him. About his voice and the way he says every word meaning them and his perfect diction. About the way he touches and caresses her. About the way he looks at her as if he was attempting to see her soul. About the way he listened to her as if she was the only important or even existing person in the whole world. And especially about the way he kissed her.

She wasn't even thinking about the epic kisses they shared in her bed. She was thinking about the casual kisses along the day. The kisses she never showed any objection. The kisses she already expected and craved. The kisses on her cheeks, her forehead, her hair but especially on her lips and on her… hand. It could sound creepy. God, she would be the first to say this hand-kissing was gross but he made it feel different. He made it special, sensual and sweet altogether. And after she repeated his motions she could understand why he would keep doing it. It was so good to feel his smell and skin in her lips.

Then the epic kisses happened. She could feel his lips on hers for hours after he left. She would close her eyes and she would have the vivid feeling that if she opened she would see his beautiful face joint to hers by their lips. She never felt so close to anyone. She never felt so connected and so cherished. And it let her confused. She couldn't understand how she would feel such things if they weren't in love. The only boy she ever loved and who, in her best days, she believed who also loved her back even if just a little, never shared a kiss like that with her.

One could imagine it was THE hot, wild, French kiss but it was nothing like this. It was gentle and tender. Sweet and slow. It was as if her heart and soul were in her lips. In his lips.

* * *

At the same time, just three blocks away someone else had the exact same thoughts on his head. And he was even more surprised than her.

Julian couldn't sleep that night, not for five minutes. The taste and the feeling of her lips on his didn't go away. Was it supposed to be that way? He did the best he could to control himself and do not have sex with her. He was as willing to do it as much as she was but he wanted more from her. And he had, with just a kiss, more than he ever thought he would get.

Unlike Brooke thought he didn't have everything planned and rehearsed in his head. The intimacy they shared was what he was after the whole time. He wanted to share meaningful and deep things with her but he had been surprised by how intense things actually went. He liked the feeling. He loved it in fact. It was the feeling he never experienced with someone else. And it let Julian uneasy.

Talking and getting to know someone made walls fall and that was the moment he always expected. When it would be only him and a woman, sharing something intimate and intense. It felt good. It gave him a lot of pleasure and filled the hole he had in his heart. The hole caused by uncaring parents. The hole of never feeling like he was loved except by his two sisters but it took a while until they finally built the sibling bond.

Isabella was five years older than Julian while Nathalie was one year younger. The two sisters were inseparable ever since Nathalie was born. Isabella basically adopted her little sister. Julian was learning to have Isabella's full attention when Nathalie came so it didn't last too much. He never really blamed their younger sister. When they were kids the three of them would always be together but as Isabella entered her teen years she had grown a bit distant and when she left to college it was only him and Nathalie.

Nathalie was sort of wild but she loved him. She had been his biggest trouble on high school, when she would hunt down as much boys as she could. The two siblings missed Isabella around. She had always been the only one to show them some love and affection and when she was gone, they were broken. Nathalie, like Brooke, found her away to suppress the abandonment feelings by sleeping around while Julian just stuffed it inside of him.

For obvious reasons, Isabella and Nathalie were closer to each other than to Julian and only when Julian spent a month on Isabella's house after Julia was born the two sisters figured he needed them more than he showed.

**

* * *

**"_She is beautiful, Iz" Nathalie said as she entered her sister's room, who was resting on her bed after spending most of the night up._

"_Yeah, she is perfect" the older sister cried softly. She couldn't believe she and Dylan had created such a perfect human being. She didn't care if she still had med school and residence ahead of her. Her baby girl was perfect._

"_I am sort of hurt that you named her after him and not me, my second name is pretty, you know?" Nat pouted and her sister just chuckled lightly._

"_I felt like Julian would feel even more arrogant and cocky if I did so, so I decided to have you deal with him at home." she smirked while Nathalie stuck tongue to her sister._

"_I always loved 'Julia' and so did Dylan, but don't worry, Dylan and I are planning a huge family and if you behave well during the year, I'll name the next baby after you" she winked to her sister as they heard Julian talking to Julia through the baby monitor._

"_Hey, princess. You know you are the prettiest girl in the whole world, don't you?" he asked to the baby in the crib._

"_Please, tell me he isn't waking her up, I barely slept last night" Isabella complained bringing her hands to cover her eyes._

"_I think he is cute" Nathalie remarked as she laughed to the monitor in the night stand "We should record it and use it against Julls later" the teenager completed with a mischievous grin as she took her cell phone from her purse and started recording her brother's voice._

"_I promise you I will always be around, okay? I know I wasn't here when you were born and that I am leaving soon, but you never feel unloved, okay? It is because Uncle Jully has a lot of work to do"_

"_Jully? Do you remember how he hated that I called him that?" Nathalie whined but her sister was glued into the conversation that seemed so much more deep than it first sound._

"_Once I am a big name on Hollywood I will only produce important movies, so I can spend a lot of time with you, I promise you I will be here as much as I can. And I will teach you how to ride the bike and how to swim and I will take you to camp in your summer vacation and we will go to Disney every year" his voice was soft and really low._

_Isabella was teary, not only because she was still on a hormone rollercoaster but because she knew better. She was the elder child, she knew exactly how Julian felt and she felt even guiltier for leaving him and Nathalie alone when she moved to Durham. Nathalie also started to relate to the words and looking up to Isabella she knew exactly what was happening._

"_And I know your daddy will be here for you, but just in case he isn't, you will always have me, okay? I am a phone call distant and I will stop the world to be here for my baby girl. Every day you need me, I'll be here and if mom has a bunch of stupid baby boys, you won't be alone, because Uncle Jully will always come to you, okay?" his own voice was sounding teary now._

"_And there will be a day when I will have proved to my dad that I am good and my movies will be blockbusters and I will be acclaimed by media and then I won't produce any movie until you get tired of me sabotaging your dates because I won't let any jock get around my princess. I will take care of you. Actually you and your parents will be sick of me being around but you will know that I love you. You will know that you are loved because Uncle Jully loves you with all his heart and that no matter what you do, not matter how wrong it is, I will love you and I will be there for you. Unconditionally" he concluded rubbing his index finger on her little hands. Julia who was pretty awake grabbed his finger and held it tight and he was actually impressed by the strong grip of the newborn but he also felt like she would always be there for _him.

"_I love you too, baby girl" he said as he sniffed and his sisters knew he was really crying now._

"_Nat, I never really asked you anything and I know that it wasn't fair for you and Julian to be left behind by me, but you and I always had each other. I was there in your first menstruation, I was there when the first boy came, and we would always talk even after I moved here but Julian… Julian had no one, please, do this for me; be there for him. He needs us" Isabella pleaded and her sister who had turned off her phone long ago, leaned down to hug Iz._

"_I won't let him alone, I promise"_

_From that day on, at Isabella's house in North Carolina, Nathalie actually paid more attention to Julian. She would visit him in college very often and later there wasn't one single premiere of his movies that she wasn't by his side._

**

* * *

**

At first their parents were simply not caring. When Isabella was born, a couple of years after they got married everything was perfect. Katherine was a teacher on UCLA and Paul was pursing his career as a producer.

Just a few months before Nathalie was born Paul finally had the breakthrough on his career and started to be more and more absent. He wasn't there when their youngest child was born and truth to be told not so many times after it.

About two or three years after it Katherine started to drink. At first it wasn't that much. Her friends would come to their house and they would read, gossip and drink but not too much longer after it she was already addicted.

Isabella soon had to take the responsibility over her younger brothers. She wasn't older than ten but she was the one that helped Julian and Nathalie with their homework. They had a lot of nannies because no one stood Katherine tantrums and breakdowns for much longer. The three kids tried to be as quiet as possible and because Isabella played piano, Nathalie soon showed some interest on music as well but Julian was quieter. He spent all his time studying or playing some RPG on his computer.

And that was when things started to get worse for Julian. His father would come to visit them to find him always locked inside his bedroom. He was a mathlete and had no interest on sports, music or movies industry. He was just a quiet and shy teenager who preferred to play with his virtual friends instead of listening to his mother's drunk outbursts.

It never changed and Paul often referred to Julian as useless, stupid, idiot, incapable and many other names. When Isabella left L.A. things were pretty messed up. Julian was thirteen and Nathalie was about to be twelve and Katherine's alcohol addiction was on full swing. But Duke was her dream college and where her fiancé was. She and Dylan had been apart for two years already and although she knew her siblings needed her she had do leave.

For a long time Julian wanted nothing more than to be loved and it only changed when Julia was born. When he was eighteen he finally left the house to live in the dorms of U.C.L.A. where he finally became who he was now, hiding behind the arrogant and flirting mask. To the outside Julian seemed absolutely okay with his troubled family life but it couldn't be more untrue. Now eight years and three baby boys later, Julian found balance in his life. He would always visit the kids to keep the promise he had made to each of them but also when he felt too lonely and unloved. He was crazy about Isabella's kids and they loved their Uncle Jully back just as much.

Julian was convinced he didn't need love. The love deprived environment he was raised made him believe he wasn't capable to love anyone else but his nephews and sisters. His heart almost betrayed this belief twice but in both cases he left before he could actually develop any sort of feelings. Was the third time the charm?

He knew he would easily fall in love with Brooke but he couldn't back off. There was so much of her for him to find out. And he wanted to find out every single thing about her. Big or small, it didn't matter; he wanted to know everything about this woman. While with Taylor and Lauren it took a few months, with Brooke took only a few days.

Taylor happened almost five years ago. She was the carefree girl everyone wanted to be friends with. She was spicy and sassy, upbeat and had a lot of energy. She was unforgettable. Julian lived some of the best months of his life while he was seeing her. The first time he brought up the knowing conversation she sent him straight to hell.

_Boy, I don't care a shit about what you want. You want to know me? See if you can catch me in the first place,_ Taylor said with a childish smile while she ran on the Santa Monica beach, leaving one by one of her of clothes in the way. He did catch her that night and many after that. He never met someone as funny and joyful as Taylor. Nobody took it away from her. No matter how bad things would go for her, she kept the smile and the upbeat attitude. Nobody could say her how to live her life. She did as she pleased and at her twenty two years at the time she had lived more than many people he met.

Somewhere along the way he got used to the sound of her laughs watching her favorite comedy show while he read the scripts his father was producing. Eventually he missed her deeply when she wasn't watching Friends for the thousandth time in his couch. He loved her laughs and until the day he decided to say goodbye he had never seen her shedding a tear.

They were friends with a lot of benefits included but like Julian she didn't want commitment or feelings. She used to say she would think about love and monogamy when she was thirty and her body wasn't able to keep up with parties' everyday of the week. But slowly she made something else grow inside of his heart and before he could even identify if it was more than affection he said goodbye.

Taylor didn't cry as per say, she only shed a couple of tears saying that she would miss her favorite pair of lips. She quickly wiped the two insisting drops and laughed saying that she might as well kiss them until he couldn't feel them anymore and she just did it.

A few years later they reconnected but they weren't as close as before. They would talk to each other from times to times and she would always try to keep track of the stupid women that fell for his _insanely repressed need to make a fool of himself with this knowing talk_ – as Taylor would call it.

Not longer than two years ago Julian met Lauren and she was the opposite of Taylor in every possible way. Her blonde softly curled hair had not to do with Taylor's very curled red hair. She was as sweet as a twenty three woman could be. Everything about her was mild and she exhaled kindness. Her voice was as smooth as an orchid.

Julian had met her on a very troubled moment of his life. All he wanted at the end of the day working in the most handful movie he had ever produced was to go to Lauren's house and listen to her telling how it was her day as a teacher in the kindergarten.

He loved how he had almost seen more tears than laughs of his Softie. She cried about almost every drawing her little students did to her. She cried reading. She cried watching comedy, even if it was because she laughed so much. Lauren had no problem showing when she was hurt, happy, anxious, disappointed. She was an open book and she didn't mind.

The closest experience he ever had to what he imagined would be _make love to someone_ had been with her. No longer after figuring it out, he also said his goodbyes to her. Lauren, as anyone would expect, was really upset at first but eventually she let it go. She had always remembered herself that Julian wasn't the man for her. During the eight months they saw each other she did her best to keep some distance.

Sometimes it was easy because Julian knew exactly how to piss her off. He would provoke her until she decided to leave the room _before I say something that would really hurt you_, she used to say while he stayed laughing at the sweet woman. A woman like her would never be able to hurt an ant.

She was also deeply disturbed by his arrogance. She didn't like it about him – or on anyone for that matter. But she also made his soft side blossom like never before or after her. Julian's sensibility had never been so whetted by someone or something like it was by Lauren. Somehow she had changed him.

But now there was Brooke. For five days there was Brooke. Taylor had been in the picture for six months and Lauren for eight but all it took Brooke Davis was five days.

Brooke was spicy and sweet altogether and the sour-sweet personality was what got his attention and probably something more. She had a lot of Taylor and she had a lot of Lauren on her but above all she had a lot of herself. She had a lot of them but still she was unique. Her spice and sweetness were totally different of anyone else's.

She had a lot of other women on her, but she had it on her own way. Julian didn't know how many years he would live neither how many women he would meet but he knew one thing for sure. He would never meet someone like Brooke. She was a one in a lifetime experience.

Taking advantage of his sudden insomnia Julian decided to do the same Brooke did earlier that day. He googled her. To say he was surprised by the list of her supposedly exes was an understatement. He was also surprised she was one of the characters of the real-live based novel of Lucas Scott - _An Unkindness of Ravens._ Most of the information he found were futilities and many he was sure were lies. But what exactly did he expect to find on the internet?

The book was something that took his attention. He checked for 24-h stores around his area and decided to give it a shot. New York never slept, not even at the dim hours of a Tuesday morning. It had been easier than he thought. At the first convenience store he stepped in there were a pile of the book he was looking for. It seemed like the author made a huge success.

Reading as many scripts as he did Julian had developed a fast and efficient reading system. The story was interesting but what kept his attention were the author's descriptions of who Brooke Davis was. Brooklyn Penelope Davis, he thought with a small but honest smile on his face. She had a cute name.

Skipping most parts of the book because they weren't related to Brooke, Julian learned a few more things about the brunette he couldn't take out of his head.

_Brilliant, brave and beautiful._ These three words definitely fit her well. And still this Lucas guy picked the other girl. _This just proves love is a weird thing_, Julian thought as his phone alarm went off. It was time for him to wake up and meet his muse though he never really slept that night.

* * *

While Brooke was entering her shower, Julian was leaving his. Both thinking about each other and about what they had. Both feeling uneasy because of the emerging feelings or whatever it was. But both relied in the same thing. _Five days._ Five days was what they had so far and what they had left. Five days were just too little time for two people actually develop feelings for one another. And five more days wouldn't make such difference. Could ten days change their lives?

Brooke shook her head while the water fell in her shoulders. Ten days weren't enough to decide the theme of a fashion show let alone fall in love. It was just the closure she needed to leave New York behind her without any regrets. She was proud of the decisions she made in her life while she lived there. She built a fashion empire that would make any twenty two years old proud. Ten days with Julian was icing the cake.

Julian shook his head while he buttoned his shirt. Ten days wasn't time enough to really capture the essence of a good script let alone nurture feelings for someone. Ten days with Brooke Davis was just what he needed to start his new production with the right foot. Brooke would be his luck charm and he knew this was going to be the first big movie he was going to produce.

Brooke got out of her shower. Julian walked out of his hotel room. Looking their watches they had only twenty minutes until seven. They were both running late. None of them wanted to lose one minute of the next five days though Brooke knew better than what five days could turn into.

She was sat in front of her closet trying to decide what to wear. She had her underwear on and already did her makeup but she couldn't pick an outfit. She was distracted from her intense thinking when her phone biped. She had a new message.

_I am running some minutes late. So you will have a few more minutes to decide what to wear. I read that red is your color. See you in 30._

A smile formed in her face. She loved that he wasn't one of these guys that just abbreviated everything they wrote. Of course Julian wouldn't write _c u_. He always said every little sound of each syllable why wouldn't he write them as well? But she hated how he made her feel like a silly, shallow and predictable woman. She hated even more that he knew her this well in so short time.

Who was she trying to fool? She didn't hate it at all. She loved it but the feeling wasn't a welcomed one. And now what would she do about it?

* * *

_AN: So as promised, I am back after one week! Still no beta review from Ashley but we'll work it around very soon._

_So this is a very different chapter, as I had already warned you before, but I still like it a lot. I guess we needed this background. We know everything we need to know about Brooke as seasons 1-4 counts and this fic takes place at the same time season 5 picks up. But what about Julian? There is no Peyton or flashbacks to fill up some information of him and I thought I had to explain why he is the way he is. Why he doesn't believe in love. Actually he believes in love, only when it involves his family - which is only his sisters and nephews._

_Also, this family will play a beautiful role in this fiction, so I might as well as introduce them somehow. His heart-to-heart with a three days old Julia makes me cry. It is a promise of love and commitment that he never got from his parents and while his sister did her best to fulfill it, she was still only five years older than him and that was much she could do about it. He would do to Julia and later to Austin, Logan and Jayden, what he and his sisters never got from anyone. Not their parents not a relative. No one._

_Julian believed he was a failure and being a successful producer was his last hope to touch his father's heart. It is his father after all and Julian will always care, even though he shouldn't. I am not sure if I am bringing Paul and Katherine over, so you let me know your thoughts about it._

_Julian wanted something to be meaningful in his life, because he never had anything that really meant something but he didn't believe in love either. That's why he behaves the way he does and he tries to do his best to the women he meets in his life. He didn't believe in love when it came to him but he believed he could help them to do not fall for empty promises of any jerks they would meet. He would show them how deep a relationship could go, except that in their case it would only be a life experience instead of a love story._

_So this chapter also marks Julian's vulnerability. His façade is starting to crack up because he IS developing feelings for Brooke and the opposite is also true but the two of them aren't willing to live it up. They want to live the moment, which is five days, and run as soon it is over. And I need tons of inputs of what you want this fic to be once Brooke 'is gone'. I have two options (and you can suggest more) 1) we skip to the time when they have to meet in person again because of the movie (remember she is going to play a small role and also she is designing the clothes, she will have to come to the set a few times) or 2) show their misery until it happens (their meeting in the set) and their struggle to deny their feelings (which implies DRAMA, my favorite and it may include a few wet dreams about one another). _

_I'd love to have this feedback now because chapter 18 is the last of this Volume 'Julian and Brooke' and it corresponds to her departure and in order to keep the weekly updates I have to already start working in these, so I need your input now :)_

_Next: Brooklyn (LOL); puppy faces; breakfast; stand-up sex and someone shows a little bit more than casual desire, someone shows they actually care. Who do you bet it will be? Oh and I also set up their schedule for their last five days._

_I want to thank to Kayla, Sab, Artemi, Syrine.B, lili, sb1218 and kaos1405 for their reviews in the last chapter. I loved it!!! Please keep reviewing :) (Angell I missed yours *cries*)  
_

_xoxo_

_Babi.  
_


	12. Julian & Brooke: Brooklyn Penelope

**Lying Helpless in Her Arms**

**Chapter 11 - Brooklyn Penelope**

* * *

Though before his message she wasn't thinking about anything red, she was now looking for her red pieces. She didn't have as much red clothes as she had on high school but she still owned a few. There wasn't any reason behind it though. She just liked to have a lot of black, brown, gray because it made her life easier. She kept her very colorful clothes for her public appearances.

She picked a sleeveless shutter pleats dress with a V-neckline at front and scoop neckline at back. It fit her body in the right places and finished mid-thigh. She picked a white trend coat and matching sandals and purse to complete her apparel. She also picked her jewelry and put it all over her bed. The combination was great and she was getting in the dress when she heard her front door.

She looked at her nightstand watch and it was indeed thirty minutes since she got his message. She quickly got her earrings and necklace and she was sliding her foot on her sandal when he entered her bedroom.

"Good morning, Brooklyn" he said stopping in the doorway with a mischievous smile in his face. He knew the reaction would come soon. According to the book, she hated it. He couldn't think of a more appropriate name though. It wasn't a name that he particularly liked before, actually it never really got his attention but looking at her now he felt it was perfect for her.

"What's up with the full name thing, Baker?" she hissed as she hooked her bracelet. Surely sooner or later he would figure it out and use it against her. It was so like him to say these things to annoy her. Julian Baker could be really purposefully annoying sometimes.

"Let me help you with this" he said walking towards her and taking the zipper on the sideline of her dress, he slowly closed it.

"I have to agree, red is definitely your color" he whispered in her ear mesmerized by her. She looked absolutely beautiful, even more radiant than she was routinely.

"I hadn't worn red in a long time. It is a good change" she mused turning around to face him immediately wrapping her arms around his waist "Thanks for the tip" she winked to him and brushed softly her lips on his cheek, letting go of his body and taking the purse she used the day before to get her stuff into the one she would be wearing then.

"I'll wait for you in there" he said pointing out to the door and leaving her alone to get her personal stuff in her purse.

* * *

"I wonder if there will be a lot of people on Villa's" she exclaimed as she entered her living room but didn't see him. Crossing the room she saw him in her kitchen, with his back turned to her.

"What are you doing?" she asked as she moved towards him.

"Putting the table for our breakfast" he said while he placed the plates and cups.

She was actually really surprised not only because he already got their breakfast but also by the beautiful table he put. Everything was perfectly placed and he even got a rose in a thin vase. She had no idea how he managed to do these things. She wasn't even sure if said vase was hers or not but her kitchen never looked so inviting like that morning.

"I thought we were going to Villa's. You say you love it there, that is cozy and I am sure you enjoy meeting Susan" she pretended not be surprised or impressed though she knew it was pointless. He knew how to read her as if he had known her for years.

"As much as everything you said is true, I prefer to stay here with you alone. You are hilarious when you are jealous but I want you all to myself in these remaining five days" he explained sitting down in front of her "You look beautiful, Brooklyn" he told grabbing her hand.

"I think I prefer Brookie" she retorted rolling her eyes.

"Or maybe Brooklyn Penelope" he teased with a grin as he start to fill her cup with latte.

"Okay. I'll help your knowing process here. I hate my name, both of them, so Brooke, Davis, B. Davis, Dimples, whatever you want. Just drop the borough and the P word" she sarcastically added while her arms moved in the air as she spoke.

"Okay, Penelope may be too much but Brooklyn is beautiful, it makes justice to you" he said getting coffee into his cup.

"No full names" she demanded as she got a slice of Italian bread and cheese.

"But I like Brooklyn" he slightly pouted bringing her hand close to his face but not kissing it "It is a beautiful name" he completed playing with her hand "Please?"

"Nope" she shook her head. She _hated_ her name. But she loved his pleading and sweet voice. Did she just use the word love? Well, she loved Ben & Jerry ice cream, she loved chocolate pancakes and she loved the sun, so there was no problem to love his sweet voice. And truth to be said it wasn't the only thing she loved though she didn't have such feeling for the man that possessed all these lovely traces. His grin had been the first thing she loved about him and there was his seducing voice and his sweet voice, the way he kissed her, the way he smelled, the way he said every single syllable and word but his penetrating voice – which she also loved – was now bringing her from her thoughts.

"I like to say _Brooklyn_" he said slowly and the way the word sounded on his lips was different. Brooke had to admit it was almost bearable when he said. The key word being _almost._

"But I like it when you call me Dimples" she pouted stopping her actions with the food and giving her full attention to him. That was one more thing she loved about the man in front of her. Ever since the first time he said it she loved it. Though it was literally on her face and it was definitely her trademark no one ever called her that and she had her doubts if someone actually had said it she would like it as much as she loved it on his perfect lips.

"Okay, I am sure is humanly impossible to resist to this dimpled puppy face you make, Brooklyn" he laughed "I mean, Dimples".

"Thank you" she said with a fake smile.

"Just once in awhile?" he asked doing his own puppy face and she had to admit it was a very melting one. It was the first time he did it and she just wanted to jump from her seat and clutch her nails on his cheeks and squeeze it kissing every inch of his beautiful face. That face was just too lovely and cute for her to resist but she did her best to keep sat on her place.

"Just when you are mad at me" she offered with a serious face. Not even his perfectly cute and irresistible puppy face would make her agree with the borough. She really disliked it.

"First I will never get mad at you. Second, supposing I ever do, the last name I would like to call you is Brooklyn" he explained softly tilting his head slightly to the side, admiring her beauty and stubbornness "And you know why?" he challenged.

"I have nooooo idea" she said sarcastically, widening her eyes and getting more bread and cheese.

"Because it suits you. It fits your sweetness and strength, your vulnerability and bravery and your beauty and passion. Because it reminds me of you" he mused and this time he kissed her hand. First a long peck on her backhand and then quick pecks on her knuckles alternated with _Please_ requests

"Fine" she said taking her hand away of his. It was turning her on and she needed to control herself. She was in his company for only… wow, it was eight minus ten already "I hate to cut it short but I need to go" she announced

"I need too, but I don't want to go, I want to stay with you" he whined sipping his already cold coffee. He hated cold coffee so he placed the cup back in the table.

"I have a busy day of work ahead of me, honey, sorry to disappoint" she said quickly finishing her latte and taking a napkin to get her pancake while she stood up. He had picked her favorites food, of course, and she knew it was no coincidence.

He followed her motions and stood up as well. It didn't go unnoticed by him that she just called him honey. While he wasn't too fond of pet names, honey was actually one he liked. He often used it to Julia, that's when he didn't call her princess. He never called anyone honey or princess, it was reserved to his baby girl, who wasn't really a baby anymore but for him she would always be. And now, listening to the word in Brooke's lips he just wanted to reciprocate it.

"You do realize you didn't eat anything, right?" she cut him off his thoughts while she put one pancake over the other.

"Who is catching every detail now, huh?" he teased taking her empty cup and his own to the sink.

"You are not the only one with good memory, Baker. Also they say the breakfast is the most important meal of the day. You should stop elsewhere and eat something" she explained and took a bit of her pancake. Delicious. She couldn't believe for years she lost this great pancake just one block away of her house.

"So are you worried about my health?" he smirked as he removed now the plates.

"Not exactly but I have business with you, so you better be alive to produce the movie that will make me more famous, if that's even possible" she pulled another satisfaction face as she tasted one more bit of her pancakes.

"So, as I see you are interested in only making business with me, why don't you bail Clothes over Bros today and come with me to the set?" he proposed motioning to remove the remaining of their food but she shook her free hand for him do not do it.

"I have some work to do, mister" she justified as she walked to the near drawer and got two Ziplocs.

"Anything more pleasant and profitable than my company and movie?" he asked watching amused as she got some bread, cheese and ham in a Ziploc. She ate more than most of the thin women he knew but that was too much even for Brooke.

"Probably both as we haven't discussed how much you are paying me" she teased moving to one of the cabinets getting some ground Cinnamon and apple sauce. She turned on her griddle. They was almost cold and she wanted them to be very hot.

She re-warmed the four pieces of bread. She put a lot of apple sauce and powdered ground Cinnamon over it while Julian carefully watched her moves. He never imagined Brooke could move so naturally in a kitchen. Fair enough, she was only re-warning her toasts and soaking them with apple sauce but still it surprised him.

It was the perfect domestic picture. He was undoing the table, getting the dirty dish into her washing machine while she packed her breakfast. As he passed by her he rubbed his arm on her or simply pecked her shoulder to which she always smiled.

"Oh, so definitely more pleasing than my company?"

"Sure" she said looking at him and then back to the ingredients on her hands. She got another Ziploc and carefully placed the toasts inside it.

"I am hurt" he pouted with the same puppy face of before and she really had to control herself not to bite his cheeks and squeeze it with her fingers until she probably injured him.

"You are not, honey, maybe your ego is a bit scratched but that's all" she offered placing the two Ziplocs, a fork, a knife and a spoon inside a Tupperware pot along with some napkins.

"Okay. First, you are priceless, Brooke Davis. Even if I paid the whole budget I have for you, it would call short. Second, I thought these numbers should be dealt with Victoria. Third there is nothing more pleasing than my company" he retorted smiling softly but realizing she needed help her with her coat, purse, laptop and Tupperware pots.

"You started well, Baker but finished poorly" she said handing him her laptop case as they walked out of the apartment.

"Spend the day with me, not today, the rest of the week" he offered stopping in front of her before they reached the elevator panel

She moved aside and pressed the elevator button "I can't" she said softly

"You can, you are moving away in five days; of course you can spend these days with me. I am sure you already worked in the urgent things you had to do before you leave" he reasoned as he blocked her way to the still closed elevator doors

"I did but…" she said looking up to him

"No buts, spend these days with me, Dimples" he asked moving his free hand to her waist

"Victoria will kill me" she answered trying to avoid looking at him. She knew the drill. The pleading face, the begging eyes, the sad grin. She knew she couldn't resist to Julian Baker when he asked something to her like that. And she hated she was so weak. She should be stronger. She shouldn't let him have this power over her, even though his face was so damn cute.

"What about we go there now and I tell her I talked briefly with you first and I show both of you the project and I tell Victoria I would need you immediately, for maybe five days" he tried again. He had to change her mind. He needed to have her as much as possible in the few days they had. Five days definitely weren't enough for him. He craved for her and all the newly discovered things about her.

"Julian… I can't" she said apologetically pressing the underground button once they were inside of the elevator.

"Yes you can, Brooklyn, and you want as well" he said tugging the hair of her face behind her ear.

"Full name plus cocky remark won't really convince me, you know" she retorted but the smile on her face said him she wasn't too far from accepting his proposal.

"What about this?" he leaned down brushing her lips with his longingly. He licked her lips softly bringing her body closer to his. He wanted to get rid of all the things they were holding in their hands and just fully embrace her. The taste of her lips, the softly and slow moves of her tongue on his. Didn't she want more time for them to kiss like that?

"That's definitely convincing" she breathed out when they broke apart to get some air

"And tempting" he brought his lips back to hers and kissed her even more intensely than the first time

"Will sex be a part of this five days deal?" she asked after another long kiss, her face flushing and her heart almost jumping out of her chest. She felt weak in her knees and her body just craved for his.

"Probably" he murmured looking to her with lust.

She got his look and couldn't help but open her mouth ajar, with her eyes closed and lick her lips while her free hand ran over his shirt, from his chest down to his stomach feeling his muscles beneath the thin fabric and moaning in anticipation of what would be like having sex with him again.

Julian couldn't think of anything sexier than the woman in front of him as they stood in the elevator. The lust and desire written in her face made his pants tight "Definitely" he muttered leaning to kiss her one more time nearly letting her laptop fall.

"So I guess we have a meeting with the legendary Victoria Davis" she said just after the third kiss finished, moving her hand to the back of his neck bringing his lips to kisses numbers four, five, six…

* * *

After they finally reached for the underground floor they got everything over the truck of her car and their bodies collided.

They wanted each other eagerly. Julian was waiting for the right moment but he didn't know if he was going to be able to wait. The kisses and the intimate moments they had last night in her bed proved him that she was ready and that he didn't need to wait anything else.

He slid his hands to her hips and brought her body to his while his hungry lips savored the taste of her mouth. He sucked her bottom lip into his mouth. Her reddish lips were so soft and warm that he couldn't resist. He finally closed his mouth over hers in a deep and intense kiss. Her eyes slid shut and she was lost into his touch. When he finally let her up for air she was speechless, her eyes closed and her mouth slightly opened.

He lowered his head to her neck and nipped and kissed her lavishly, knowing it was one of her sensitive spots, which her deep moan confirmed. He then lifted her and brought her against his waist and she immediately crossed her legs around it, her tight dress almost tearing apart. He knew the red tissue was almost ripping so he moved one of his hands from her butt and touching her soft skin he slid the fabric over her thigh nearly showing off her underwear but he didn't care. Most people already left to work and he wouldn't stop his actions now.

He repeated the motion in her other thigh and while his strong hands slid in her trembling skin she lightly moaned in his mouth as they devoured each other's tongues. He licked the inside of her lips and then rubbed seductively across the roof of her mouth. He could feel her moans coming from her chest that was glued to his own and their heartbeat increasing quickly.

She could feel her folds getting wet and she couldn't stop herself from slightly rubbing his bulge. The motion of her body on his made it impossible for him to resist.

"I want you, Brooklyn" he whispered gasping for air.

"Take me, Julian, make me yours" she muttered and moaned as his lips abandoned her mouth and moved to her jawbone, shoulder and finally her cleavage. He pulled their bodies against the wall and holding her butt with only one of his hands, sharing her weight with the wall he moved his other hand to one of her breast, rubbing it eagerly

Her moans at his touch were long and filled of desire, leading his arousal to take the best of him. He let go of her breast and moved his hand underneath her dress and moving her panties aside his fingers finally met her wet center.

Her body tossed at the contact on her throbbing folds. She arched her back as much as she could against the wall to give her balance to move her hands to his pant. She needed to undo his belt and feel more than his fingers inside of her "I want you inside of me" she gasped

Julian helped her with his pants "The condoms are in my wallet in my coat" he breathed out as she reached for his iron member. His coat was over her car that was some feet away from them.

"I need you inside of me, Julian. Now" she whispered seductively "Enter me, Baby" she pleaded and Julian couldn't resist.

That wasn't anything like what he planned. He didn't want to have wild sex with her again. He wanted something meaningful and slow. He wanted to appreciate and touch her whole naked body, in a bed, while he conquered her body and soul. He wanted to get intoxicated by her smell, the smell of her cream and close his eyes feeling her inside walls shrieking against his member. He didn't want to possess her on an underground parking lot, against a dirty wall. Brooke Davis deserved better than that but he wasn't able to control his actions when she sounded and looked so tempting.

Brooke could already feel the tip of his erection in her thigh when they heard the elevator ding, just a few steps by their sides. Immediately he released her and turned around to fix his pants while a mother and her child walked out of the elevator.

Brooke knew her heavy breath and flushed face would betray their antics. She also turned her back to the elevator and moving both of her hands to his shoulders she talked very audibly "I am sorry, honey, I promise you I didn't do anything. You know I love you, you know I would never be around any other man. He tried to take advantage of me when I was vulnerable. It was my sister funeral for God's sake" she faked a hurt voice and even sniffed her nose while Julian looked up to her with a puzzled face.

The woman and her kid walked behind Julian and Brooke arched bodies and she actually felt bad for them, as Brooke really sounded hurt and regretful.

Julian was trying to hold the laughs while he tried to regain his composure, the boner making it hard from him to stuff it inside his pants. When he finally did he looked up to her and she had the most mischievous smile in her face as they waited for the woman to leave the parking lot.

As soon as her car passed the gate he burst out laughing.

"Wow, that was an outstanding performance" he exclaimed as they walked back to her car.

She shrugged her shoulders "Nobody wants to get into a couple fighting over cheating".

"You are amazing, Brooklyn" he said grabbing her by the waist and pulling her into an affectionate kiss.

"And I am very late, so if you want me to spend the day with you we need to talk to Victoria before her meetings. We finish this act later" she said as she got her coat, purse and Tupperware from her trunk, handing the latter for him.

"Eat this while I drive us" she said winking to him as she moved to the driver's side while he stood there looking at her surprised. He didn't imagine for one moment she did it for him though she picked the same ingredients he would always pick to put in his French toast.

She opened her door and stopped there before entering the car "You can't starve" she said with a soft smile

"Thanks, Dimples" he said with a matching face.

* * *

_AN: Lots of action in this chapter. Which makes it completely different from the last one. It also has its funny parts- which I always enjoy. The emotional parts I'll let to Volume II and I guess you guys voted for the second option, to explore their time apart - which was my favorite as well ;)  
_

_I am still betaless, but I am paying much attention to the grammar, trying to make the best I can.  
_

_I really like their exchanges in this chapter (not too much the underground one but still). I love it how they look so perfect in her kitchen and they feel comfortable about it._

_I love that he calls her Brooklyn and that he thinks it fits her. The truth is he is so mesmerized by her that he would whatever name she had._

_Next up: They meet Victoria and a bit of their meeting is sort of hilarious as Brooke thinks he is flirting with Vicky. They go all romantic and 'in love' visiting some locations and the day ends steamy at his hotel room... well not exactly steamy but still._

_Thanks to Artemi, Syrine.B, Sab, sb1218 and kaos2405. Your reviews mean a lot to me, keep them coming._

_Have a nice weekend,_

_Babi_


	13. Julian & Brooke: Davis

**Lying Helpless in Her Arms**

**Chapter 12 - Davis

* * *

**

While she drove he ate the breakfast she did for him. He was totally surprised, though he shouldn't. The Brooke Davis that Lucas Scott guy described was just that thoughtful and caring woman to the people she loved. The writer didn't mean she was careless to people she didn't know or love, or was only acquainted. He made it very clear she was kind to anyone but that she would always take a special care of those she loved. Was breakfast a special care? While he knew it was impossible for her to be in love with him it could still mean that she might be in the future. It could mean she was opening her heart to him.

"Thanks for the food, it is really good" he thanked.

"Well, you are the one who actually picked it and paid for it, so I guess there is nothing there to thank me" she chuckled softly. _Definitely not a special care._ He thought.

"But even if you didn't, I wouldn't let you starve. I can only imagine how physically demanding are your days producing a movie, especially in New York. You need to be well fed to survive your day healthily" her raspy voice explained. _Maybe a special care._

"Says the girl who doesn't have time for breakfast" he smirked softly and give the bait.

"Well, my assistant, Millie, that you met the other day, she always brings me a cup of latte, just the way I like it and I have plenty of cookies in my office cabinet" she shrugged "I don't know what I would do without Millie. She is life-saver, definitely way more than an assistant" she turned to him with a small but cute and honest smile.

_Definitely a special care._ He thought and a broad grin was plastered on his face. "I am happy someone takes care of you, Dimples and I am happy you are so kind to do it to me".

"Have to keep the good chain going on. Besides, you are the one giving me breakfast in the first place. So I thank you, Julian" she looked up to him as she stopped on a red traffic light.

He couldn't help but bring her lips to his and kiss her gently. _Thank you._ He whispered on her lips and they were only interrupted when the horns startled her.

"Oops" she said with a smile shrugging her shoulders to the driver that passed by her side swearing.

"So how bad is Victoria Davis? I need to know what awaits me" he asked as they approached C/B's building.

"It all depends on how much you are paying her" Brooke offered sarcastically.

"I initially have nine hundred thousand dollars in the budget but if you feel it is not enough…" he explained but was cut off by the sudden stop in the car nearly causing someone to hit on her rear.

"Nine hundred thousand dollars?" she asked overly surprised by the amount though her tone wasn't enthusiastic.

"I guess I'll have to make some cuts in the other departments" he misread her reaction and she was actually happy that he couldn't read her for once. It was sort of creepy for him to know her when they barely met in the first place.

"You are losing your touch, Baker" she said as she restarted the car movement "Actually nine hundred thousand is more than I expected giving the publicity C/B will get" she honestly confessed.

"I still think is less than Brooke Davis deserves but that's the budget they gave me" he charmingly answered getting his groove back.

"So I guess Victoria Davis might be the nicest person you ever met" she commented and he just smiled. He was actually willing to know why Victoria Davis was such a touchy subject to Brooke and why she hid so many things of her mother.

* * *

They arrived at C/B headquarter and Brooke asked Julian to wait. She wanted to talk privately with her mother before he'd meet her.

"Where have you been yesterday?" Victoria demanded from her desk as soon as she saw Brooke entering her office.

"I was personally assuring that Clothes over Bros was chosen to be the company that would sign Julian Baker's movie and the nine hundred thousand dollars contract" Brooke smiled in triumph "Thanks for the tip, by the way. It worked fine" she completed as she sat in one of the chairs watching her mother's shocking face.

"I know what I do, that's why I am the CEO of this company" Victoria tried to hide her excitement. But she was more than excited as this contract would save the company's quarter.

"Yeah but it actually also brought me some mishaps" Brooke completed.

"Did you have to sleep with him?" Victoria asked incredulous.

"Of course not, Victoria, but he asked me to spend some time with him supposedly to discuss the line and also for me to get to know the script, the crew, the locations and all these crap that we both know is just a lame excuse to be with me. I was steady in my position and offered him just a few days".

"That's not even a bump let alone a mishap" Victoria said relieved. She never meant for Brooke to sleep with him. She wouldn't make her daughter a prostitute for any contract.

"Anyway, I decided to share the burden with you and asked him to present you the details of the contract. After all you are the CEO of the company" Brooke shamelessly lied through her teeth.

"Of course, when is he coming?" Victoria showed her approval of her daughter's move.

"Actually he is already here" Brooke said as she reached for the phone and called Millie "Millie would you please let Mr. Baker come in".

* * *

"Victoria Davis, I finally met you. Julian Baker" he said as soon as he entered the room and saw the two Davis women in their seats.

"There was no way you wouldn't, Mr. Baker" Victoria said standing up and reaching for his hand, also pointing the chair by Brooke's side for him to seat

"I can see where Brooke got all her beauty from and probably her intelligence and talent as well" he added, leading Brooke to make a disgusted face. Was he flirting with her mother for God's sake?

"Now, that's a man you should meet Brooke" Victoria said as she turned around and walked back to her chair.

Julian grinned and mouthed _I told you _to Brooke who rolled her eyes.

* * *

Their meeting was quite uneventful except for Julian's remarks about both women. While Victoria was clearly pleased Brooke was almost regretting the work leave she got from her last days in the company in New York.

"Wow you can't even spare my mother from the flirting?" she asked as soon as they walked out.

"I wasn't flirting. You are the spitting image of your mother. I only said the truth. Plus I was trying to score some points for you" he followed her to the background parking lot "After all you are smart, talented, passionate and absolutely beautiful and I am not sure she knows it".

"For me? With my mother? Pointless effort" she disdained and he got the confirmation that her relationship with Victoria might be somewhat like his and his parents, which was totally uncalled for. He thought maybe his father was right in some of his complaints. Julian took too long to finally decide for creative writing at college and a minor degree on cinema production. While he was still taking the first steps in his career Brooke Davis was already a reality.

What else could Victoria expect? Brooke was successful, tough, passionate, hard worker, focus and determined. Having the empire she had at age twenty-two proved how capable and extraordinary Brooke Davis was. While Paul might have a point or two, Victoria had nothing. Brooke was everyone's dream of a daughter either for her professional success either for her caring and beautiful personality.

"Too bad, because as I told you she would, she approved me, Brooklyn, so I guess I could actually get you some points as well" he smirked and immediately her hand hit his arm playfully.

"How thoughtful of you! I really appreciate your good intentions but I prefer if they don't involve my mother next time" she sarcastically pointed out.

"Why not? Mothers love me" he shrugged his shoulders with a smile in his face.

"I thought you never had a relationship" she commented thinking he was lying to her.

"I hadn't. It doesn't mean many of them didn't try to draw me to their daughters. I _am _someone people love, Davis, you should get used" as they stepped out of the elevator.

"God, how come I agreed to spend the next four days with you?" she rolled her eyes as they entered her car.

"Because you can't resist me, B. Davis, now let's go. I need to be in the first location in twenty minutes" he said and as soon as she sat he pulled her for a casual kiss.

"Thought about my mother? Maybe I got my kiss skills from her too" she teased as they broke apart and it was his turn to look disgusted.

"Drive, Dimples. Just drive while I try to erase this thought from my head" he complained with a disturbed face while she smiled lightly.

* * *

"So this is where I am going to work?" Brooke said as she looked around the studio. It was a huge place and Julian was showing her around "For the next four days I mean" she quickly corrected herself though Haley's call phone was still on her head.

"You are not working these next days, Dimples. I'll do the work" he said as they entered his office.

"Wow… this is different" she said looking around. For any reason she thought his office would be really big and somewhat ostentatious but instead it was smaller than her own on C/B and there was nothing pompous about it.

Everything was simple and when he sat in his chair checking the messages his assistant left on his table, written on post-its, Brooke felt her heart getting warm towards the seducing man. She was getting convinced that just like her, Julian kept a facade only to hide his secret pain but she wasn't sure yet.

"Do you like it?" he asked as he read each of the post-its.

"Yes. It suits you, Baker" she answered with a sweet voice as she sat in one of the chairs in front of his table.

"Do you mind if we get out again? I can drive if you want but I need to check two of the locations and find a spot in the park that needs to be perfect for the opening scene" he asked as he grouped all messages and got them on his pocket. He would take care of the calls later.

"Sure. I am all yours this week, remember?" she lighthearted remembered him as she stood up.

"I wish I could be all yours the whole week too" he moved to where she was standing, moving his hands to her hips.

"Maybe after the movie is finished you can go visit me in Tree Hill" she slipped her hands to his neck.

"This name sounds familiar" he leaned down kissing her cheek and then stretching his hand for her to take.

"Nobody knows Tree Hill, trust me" she chuckled and they left his office.

* * *

"You know it is pretty unrealistic for her to live here, right? Trust me a designer doesn't have the time to come from Manhattan to Hamptons in a daily basis" she pointed out as they walked holding hands.

"It is in the book, I am only reproducing it" he shrugged. He was looking for a house that could be used to be the facade of where his lead character would live. According to the book descriptions it was one of finest houses in Hamptons and it was just by the beach.

"Tell me about this character" she was curious about her fiction version.

"She is in her mid thirties and while she has an empire in the fashion world she has to deal with some personal issues. Her marriage is falling apart but then she finds herself pregnant a couple of months before her fashion show. She starts struggling between choosing her personal life or her career and her husband doesn't exactly helps her" he explains as they crossed another street.

"Oh" was all Brooke said.

She sort of related to the career versus personal satisfaction situation, except that if she had a chance she would happily be married waiting for her first baby. That wasn't her case but still she picked her personal life over her career.

Julian realized the change on her features. She looked distant and a hint of sadness appeared in her angelical face.

"Don't worry as any Hollywood production it does have a happy ending and she of course gets it all, just like that" he pretended to think she changed because of the movie outcome but he knew something about his main character reached Brooke out.

"I still don't get how you are a producer if you hate how the movies always end" she replied with a small smile. It wasn't the place and time for her to think about her life decisions. She knew Julian caught on every detail and she wasn't willing to share more of her life than she already did. She knew it would only become make their situation more dangerous.

"I have a good time producing everything until the last ten minutes" he shrugged his shoulders "I enjoy the biggest part, so I guess it works fine for me".

"She would definitely live there" Brooke said pointing out to the beach house some feet ahead of them.

"I couldn't agree more" Julian smiled as he appraised the house. It was exactly what he was looking for. It was modern, expensive, huge, imposing and but sad and cold despite what it could show at first. But it wasn't what got his attention. She knowing him was.

"I guess I am getting to know you a little bit" Brooke smiled and winked as they walked to the house, as if she was reading his thoughts.

Many of the houses on Hamptons were used as vacation locations and they were lucky that was the case to this one too. The maid gave him the number of the owners and their names and he would call them as soon as he was back at the office.

"What's next?" she asked excited. She was enjoying picking up locations. They had already picked the building where the main character would work and now her house.

"Central Park and then your apartment."

"Didn't you just say you would go to your office to call them and do some other important calls you didn't do yet?" she asked confused as they reached for her car.

"But I have a problem" he said as he pushed her against the car's door kissing her passionately.

She immediately answered to his motions moving her hands to his cheeks. There was always a lot of lust and desire in their kisses. But none of them seemed to realize it was getting more and more intimate, affectionate and meaningful. Or maybe they did realize but preferred to pretend they were reading too much into it.

The way she touched him and the way he held her were getting more personal and caressing. How long would take to Julian and Brooke finally admit they were developing feelings for each other? They tried to avoid it as if it was the plague but in the end their avoidance only blinded them to what there was no denial. Eventually it was going to hit them and it would certainly surprise and scare them.

And that would be when their best running skills would be employed. Or that was what they believed when they had a moment or two of honesty with themselves and thought about the possibility of them falling in love with each other.

"I can't keep my hands off of you and I am not sure I want my crew to watch this" he whispered as he reached for her lips again, even more gently and delicately than before. He didn't want the events of this morning in the the parking lot to repeat. They were in the middle of the street and while there weren't many people in the streets he couldn't risk. If he started again he wouldn't be able to stop, so he kept his moves in her lips as soft as possible.

Their pace in each other's lips was slow but sensual nevertheless. His tongue didn't hunt hers as much as her didn't hunt his. It was a dance. Not any dance though, a tango. It was sexy and deep but above all intense.

As soon as they broke apart he held her hands that were still on his cheeks and closing his eyes he slid his own hands back and forth over hers. The warmth created by the friction between their hands couldn't compare to the warmth he had in his heart every time he touched her. Brooke felt the same way inside as she watched his face features. She never felt so important. She never felt like she could do so much for someone by only letting them touch her.

She couldn't help but stop his actions by softly kissing him one more time. This time she kept her tongue to herself and slowly sucked his upper lip then the bottom. When she finished her work in his lips he took their hands down, intertwining their fingers.

He looked tenderly to her and she found herself lost in his eyes. Meaning much more than it first sounded she whispered "Take me for a ride in the park, Julian".

* * *

The rest of the afternoon was blissful. It was easy to envy them. They looked like the most in love people in the world. The way they played with each other, tossing their bodies in the grass. The way she got a bit of her ice cream on the tip of his nose. The passionate kisses and looks. The way they found each other's hands and made their smelling-kissing ritual. The way he span her in the cold air just before they fed the ducks. It seemed like paparazzi didn't like Central Park because at first they were afraid of the flashes but not for once they heard the unmistakable 'click' sounds of their cameras.

They were the picture of happiness and love and while happiness was definitely there love hadn't been invited to their party. Julian was the happy break Brooke needed in her life. He was interesting, he was special and he made her body answer in ways she couldn't imagine. As for Julian, he thought Brooke was just the most special woman he ever met and he wanted to cherish the next four days the best he could.

"I think this is the perfect spot" she said as they approached a bridge.

Julian looked around and it was perfect for the opening scene where Juliet and her husband Charles would appear holding hands, just like him and Brooke were now. But unlike the real life pair, the on-screen couple loved each other but weren't happy anymore.

The first scene should be one of the most emotional of the whole movie. The characters would go for a walk in the park and then have dinner to celebrate their tenth anniversary. It was supposed to be a walk of two people in love. But after having walked a few steps her phone would ring and she would let her husband know she was needed in the office. He would resentfully look at his wife walking away, adjusting her trend coat and apparently forgetting how they were supposed to have dinner together as part of their celebration.

What started lovely would finish bittersweet with Charles sighing and walking away in the opposite direction. The bridge was perfect to show how instead of bringing the two of them together, as bridges would usually do to places, in both cases, the park and the on-screen marriage, the bridge was only about a beautiful picture. In the case of the bridge it was decoration that served to the birds to protect themselves of the pouring snow and rain during New York storming days. In the case of their marriage it was the portrait of fashion shows and other social events they were always going. The main purpose of linking two places or two people was missing.

"You are definitely leading me to think I should keep you in the permanent crew I have, Brooke Davis" Julian said after the opening scene of his movie played out in his mind.

"What can I say? I am a woman of many attributes" she smirked as the first drops of the cold drizzled poured.

"And I guess this is our cue to leave" he said looking up to the dark cloud over their heads.

"I can certainly get use of a shower. I am exhausted" she confessed and he nodded leading their way back to her car.

* * *

They would head to her apartment but before he wanted to stop at his hotel. He wanted to make a few calls he didn't do yet and also get his messages. His sisters knew he was always very busy when he was producing and they never really called his cell phone. He would always let them know his hotel number and they would leave him messages there and remember him to call them back.

He hadn't heard about any of them for the past two days and while he was starting to get worried about it he didn't get the chance to call them by himself. He left Brooke's apartment pretty late the day before and he thought tonight wouldn't be any different. So he had to do it now.

"Now this is more like you" Brooke commented as she entered the penthouse he had been living for the past weeks. _Or less like you, _she thought.

"Hotels are my personal nightmare. I hate this impersonality and coldness so the least I can do is have as much luxury as possible to make up for it" he explained as he dialed the reception to get to know if he had any messages "Make yourself comfortable, I'll just make a few calls and we will head to your apartment".

She nodded and explored the luxurious room and was surprised that he had spread a lot of personal objects around like frames, books and DVD cases. She finally made it to his bedroom and wasn't surprised when she spotted the family portraits over the nightstand. She immediately recognized the two brunettes.

There were pictures of his sisters and nephews. He was in most of the pictures with them and Brooke could only imagine how much he cared about his family though he never really mentioned any of them. His nephews were absolutely beautiful and one of them was the spitting image of Julian.

She also spotted a copy of the bestseller the movie was based. Her curiosity took the best of her and kicking off her sandals and trend coat she climbed in his bed to read the novel.

* * *

Julian took about thirty minutes catching up with both of his sisters and making a couple of really important business calls. He was relieved to know his family was doing well and happy to know the second word Jayden said was Ully, which Isabella assured, was his name because they were seeing pictures. Other than this the little one only spoke 'ball'. To say Dylan was often jealous of an absent Julian, was an understatement but still the kids loved their Uncle Jully more than anyone else.

In the best year, when Austin was born, Julian visited them nine times, but lately he barely made the holidays like Christmas, Thanksgiving and 4th July and an occasional appearance in one of the birthday parties. Each kid was born in a different season, so it was really hard for Julian to be there in every party. But he always tried his best and he really missed his nephews. It was a good thing Thanksgiving was a week away.

Brushing his thoughts away of his family he decided to get Brooke.

"I already miss you" he said entering his bedroom but stopping at the scene in front of him. She looked like an angel sleeping. It was actually the first time he ever saw Brooke sleeping. The night they spent together he was the first to fall asleep and she was the first to wake up.

He could say she was really tired. She probably wasn't used to walk so much the whole day. But still she looked beautiful and peaceful. She told him she wanted to shower but he couldn't bring himself to actually wake her up and it was already passed nine. He wouldn't waste any time apart of the beautiful girl that was lying in his bed, so he decided to skip his shower as well. Maybe she would wake up in some minutes or hours and when she left he would think about it.

He got rid of his heavy and long coat and joined her in his bed. The moment she felt his body moving close to hers she unconsciously pushed her back against his chest. Intoxicated by her smell he moved his hand to her waist and kissing her hair he whispered on it "You are perfect, Brooklyn"

* * *

_AN: Poor Julian, he is so lost on where his feelings are leading him that sometimes he behaves like a perfect teenager - a girl teenager. He is wondering if Brooke loves him as if he was 14 years old. It is sort of cute, if you ask me._

_I love that Victoria adores him - just like he told Brooke she would. And he has to remember her about it mouthing 'I told you so'. Another childish behavior of the very grownup man. Brooke thinks he is flirting with Vicky and I love it that instead Julian is trying to make Victoria see how wonderful her daughter is!!! Fair enough it was a very small piece of Victoria but I haven't decided yet her role to the development of this story, so that's why I have just a glimpse of her. Also if you have suggestions about her role here, let me know ;)  
_

_Surely my favorite part are their 'dates' while they picked the locations. I personally love that Brooke is sensitive to Julian's sensitivity and they actually work great together. They have a very good intuition about each other. Both deserve a lot to be this happy and I am really excited to write about how they are going to face their fears and live their love, that is already growing in their hearts._

_Next: Brooke and Julian, in the same bed equals sex, right? We'll see. They open up a bit more to themselves and to each other. And Brooke finds a pet name for Julian. We also learn one of 'Julian Methods' LOL and there is a lot of cuddle :)_

_Thanks to Artemi, Syrine.B, Kayla, Sab and nicoleishere (thank you so much for registering just to review, I hope you keep reviewing ;)). You guys always make me happy with your reviews. Keep them coming ;)_

_xoxo_

_Babi  
_


	14. Julian & Brooke: Juker

**Lying Helpless in Her Arms**

**Chapter 13 - Juker**

**

* * *

**Julian found it hard to sleep that night as much as the night before and though it didn't involve any further physical contact, having Brooke in his arms made it hard.

It was hard not to get lost in her alluring smell. Not the sweet-spicy perfume she used or the strawberry shampoo but her smell. He knew a lot of women used Victoria's Secret products. Brooke surely washed her hair with _Strawberries and Champagne_. But it wasn't the brand smell; it was how _it smelled on Brooke._ He was sure it wouldn't smell any better than that. It was the mix of one of his favorite brands and her intoxicating natural smell.

There was also her skin; her silk skin. He was sure he never touched something as smooth as her skin except for his nephews'. He couldn't describe how it felt but it was so good and he couldn't stop himself of rubbing her soft skin though he was keeping it to a minimum because he didn't want to wake her up.

Eventually the light sound invaded his bedroom. Brooke Davis snored. It wasn't a deafening and annoying sound. It was almost unnoticeable but she snored and obviously, as anything about the girl in his arms, Julian thought it was endearing.

His thoughts drifted as he spooned her small frame. How was it possible that he adored everything about her? For Julian there was no wrong when it came to Brooke. _Brooklyn, _he thought. Even her name was perfect.

The way her body fit his perfectly, as if they were made to be connected also amazed him. His bigger frame involved her smaller one that fell easily in place. It was like they were meant to be joined like that, for eternity. And he felt like he could indeed spend the eternity holding Brooke in his arms. Just like that. The feeling inside of him was getting warmer and stronger.

It was close to midnight when he thought she wouldn't wake up anytime soon. He softly undid her zipper and whispered some words as she stirred. He finally stripped her dress down and took one of his long sleeved t-shirts and dressed her up. Brooke was half awake and half asleep but he was pretty sure she had no idea of what was happening. She was deathly tired and he felt a bit guilty for drawing her into his crazy and demanding routine.

When he finally finished with his shirt and the comforter he moved himself away of the bed to have the shower he postponed earlier. But the moment he walked out she whimpered from the bed. He couldn't understand what she was murmuring but he knew she was whining about him leaving her alone.

"Okay, Brooklyn, I'll skip the shower as well, just give me a minute and I'll join you" he softly said kissing her forehead and rubbing her hair. He entered his private bathroom; brushed his teeth and changed into his pajamas. As much as it was unexpected he liked pajamas but only during the winter. In the hotter seasons he would sleep with only boxers, if so. But he liked to feel the comfort clothes brought in the winter. The way it felt so ludic, as if he was a child loving to feel the fabric embracing his chilly body. That was one of the many small things that Julian really enjoyed.

He finally joined her again and the murmurs were there as she turned on her back and laid in his chest. Among the intelligible things she said he could understand the word '_good'._ She repeated it a few times and when he heard the light and cute snoring sound again he knew she was back to dreamland.

He couldn't help but stroke softly her hair. He couldn't bring himself to describe how great it felt to have an angel in his arms but then he realized he didn't look at her as any angel. He looked over her and the words in his head were actually _my angel._ She was so quiet and beautiful, lightly snoring, with a trace of a smile in her porcelain face. There was also the way her hand touched his chest. The way she moved her head so many times until she found the perfect spot in his chest. She was like puppies finding a position to sleep; moving, tossing and turning until the cozy and comfortable spot was found.

Her actions, even when she was sleeping compelled him to think of her as his. The idea of time haunted his thoughts when he wondered how attached he was getting to the angelical brunette. Julian had problems believing in love and falling in love let alone if it happened in less than a week. He didn't know yet what was happening but he knew for sure he was developing some sort of feelings for Brooke.

And while at first the thought of having her company for only four more days was comfortable it was starting to feel short. Four days weren't enough for him to know everything he wanted to learn about her. When he thought twenty percent of their remaining time had actually passed, he felt somewhat incomplete.

"What are you doing to me, Angel?" he asked her while he slowly and lightly ran the back of his fingers in her face.

How could he feel incomplete? He never really gave any thought about fullness in his life. He had no idea if he was complete before her because it didn't matter. But now, seeing that he only had four days, he felt something was missing. It was as if he was already missing her company.

And then, for some reason, he remembered how hurt she looked the day before. And the protection urge came even stronger than before. How could someone hurt a woman like Brooke? She looked so innocent and peaceful in his arms. He couldn't think what he wouldn't give right now to assure she would always be like that. To assure she wouldn't cry like she did in that roof. To assure the shine in her eyes wouldn't fade all of sudden when she zoned out. To assure she wouldn't need to plaster a smile that didn't reflect at all what was inside her heart.

She deserved to be happy. To have her dreams come true. To be loved and protected. To always show her cute dimples in genuine smiles.

He increased his grip around her small frame. He didn't want let her go. Not within four days or ever. Someone had to ensure she would be happy. And for the first time in his life he actually wished he was someone else.

But he knew he wouldn't be that guy. He knew that even if he had more than four days, he wasn't the guy that would ensure Brooke Davis had all she deserved and she deserved everything. He knew that regardless of these feelings he was developing, it wasn't love because he wasn't able to love. It was probably only affection and maybe infatuation.

For once he wished he wasn't immune to love. For once he wished he wasn't incapable of loving. Because if there was a woman in the whole world that he would love it was the girl lying in his arms. If only he wasn't who he was. If only he could change himself for her.

"Hey" her raspy voice brought him back from his thoughts.

"Hi" he answered with a deep voice but with this one single word he caused goose bumps in her.

"I guess I fell asleep, huh?"

"For good three hours and a half" he said stroking her hair from her face "I am sorry I've drawn you into my crazy routine, you must be really tired" his voice was caring and deep, very Julian alike, she thought.

"It was my best day in a very long time" she whispered straddling him to reach his lips with hers.

"Are you sure you can make it for more three days?" he asked crossing both of his hands in the back of her waist.

"As long as I can finish my day exactly where I am now, I see no problem at all" she confessed as she traced his jaw line with her index finger.

"What are we doing, Dimples?" he inquired because he needed answers and he felt like he couldn't find them by his own.

"You are trying to fool me with this 'knowing small talk' to get into my panties again and I am pretending I am being fooled" she joked "And trying to get into your pants again" she completed moving her hand down on his chest.

"I am not trying to fool you, I wouldn't even if I wanted" his voice cracked at her touch.

"That doesn't mean you aren't trying to get into my panties, Juker" she sensually touched his lips with two of her fingers.

"Juker?" he grinned surprised and kissed her fingers.

"Yep, Ju- from Julian and -Ker from Baker as the only ship you will ever be part of" she smiled at the feeling of his lips in her fingers.

Julian couldn't resist but chuckle at her. He loved how she could be witty sometimes.

"What about Juke?" he suggested with a peck in her lips.

"Nah," she disapproved shaking her head and wrinkling her nose "Juker is the original, also your last name is Bakerrrr not Bake"

"I meant Ju-from Julian and -Ke from Brooke" he corrected her, analyzing carefully her reaction.

"I guess we'd need to be a couple then, so Juker it is" she declared and he couldn't find in her features anything that showed she was sorry for not being a couple. Was Julian getting caught in his own trap? "Also, this is my nickname for you, not for us".

"Okay, you won, Dimples" he gave up leaning down to brush her lips softly and she wasted no time on deepening it.

"Do you think you already know me enough?" she whispered in his lips, sliding her fingers in his hair.

"I'm getting there" he answered as he held her hips trying to stop her to rub him like that.

"I want you, Julian" she pleaded kissing his neck leading Julian to close his eyes. He was already hard as a rock and he knew that was a lost battle so he let go of her hips and grabbed her butt instead pulling her against him "I want you too, Brooklyn".

"Drop the full name, Baker" she said as she moved her hands under his shirt realizing now for the first time "Are you wearing pajamas?" she stopped her actions looking up at him "How cute is that?"

"Cute? Not really a word I like, except if it is to describe your dimples".

"You are full of surprises, you know that?" she said and suddenly she was more interested in the man than in the body "And I know why" she proclaimed.

"You do?" he asked with a grin. She was beyond cute and sexy now nodding and biting her lip with a mischievous smile forming "And why is that?"

"Because you are just like me. You are hiding behind this Casanova-With-a-Purpose mask. To the world you are this arrogant, confident, cocky, smart-ass seducer but the truth is… you are just like me, Julian Baker" she stated and while she was trying to sound funny or lighthearted, he caught a glimpse of sadness in her eyes when they avoided his for a couple of seconds.

"And what is it being like you?" he asked brushing her hair.

"That is what you are here to find out, isn't it?" she asked while they held their gazes in each others' eyes.

"But if we are the same, so I guess I already know it, don't I?" he tried but he wanted to listen to her. It was enlightening to listen to her explaining and deciphering him.

"You are not immune to love, Julian. I don't know if you are afraid of it or if you already gave up on it or if you are just closed to the idea. You think this is not for you and so you hide behind the tough facade. But in moments like these, when you wear you pajama in front of the woman you are trying to seduce, you are just yourself" her eyes and her voice were sweet and sort of sad because she knew how it was to give up in love.

"What are you afraid of, Brooke?" he rubbed her beautiful face.

"Of this conversation" she honestly confessed. She didn't like how he made it about her instead of him "And sticking. What about a shower?" she changed the subject moving out the bed.

"It is a good idea" he agreed and followed her.

* * *

While he was filling up the tub, she was sat at the stairs just beside him.

"The book seems interesting" she commented. She really liked the story and unlike her first impression, the main character seemed to be more caring then Julian showed in his brief description. Surely she didn't read that much before finally sleeping but this Juliet looked more like her than she first expected.

"Of course it does, otherwise I wouldn't produce it" he cockily pointed out.

"Didn't we just cover that I know you are not this arrogant guy" she stood up and embraced him from behind, resting her head on his back while her arms pulled his body against hers.

He turned around, still in her arms "I _am_ this guy and do not pretend to dislike it, you love this about me".

"Maybe you became this guy. And I don't love it about you, it's annoying and boring" she pointed out as she rested her head in his chest. It seemed like his body was the perfect fit for hers. She really enjoyed lying in his chest earlier and she surely enjoyed it now.

Julian realized her moves and how she placed her head in the same spot of before in the bed. He knew this move was more intimate than both of them was willing to admit but it felt too good. The feeling couldn't be denied as much as who they were. "It doesn't matter because this is who I am and I don't see any reason to change if you are still here with me".

"Maybe you will change. I think when the right woman comes you are going to change, whether you allow the change or not" she didn't know why she said it. She knew she wouldn't change if the guy appeared. She already chose to change and the baby she was adopting would make the change for her, not a guy.

Julian couldn't stop the thought that immediately rose in his head._ She already came. She is in my arms now._ But it also proved him that not even the perfect woman for him would change what was built ever since he was a little child.

"I don't think so. But is that when Brooke Davis is going to change? Is she waiting for her knight shining armor?" he asked as if he was reading her mind in that moment.

"No, just the baby" she let her thought slip. _Damn it, _she thought. She did it all the time around Julian. Maybe his blunt honesty leaded her to share things with him she wasn't willing to share with anyone. Either because it slipped or because she just felt like telling him, it still annoyed her that she couldn't lock herself up as she did for so many years.

"What?" he asked confused not really understanding what she just said. Was Brooke pregnant? Was that the reason why she was moving away? Was that the reason why she allowed herself to have this affair with him?

"I guess we should take our shower. The tub is already filled" she changed the subject and also her position, detaching herself from his body and passing by him to enter the tub.

"Sure" he agreed stripping his pajamas.

She also got rid of the big shirt he had lent to her and in few seconds they were totally naked in front of each other.

"You are the zenith of the creation, Brooklyn" he proclaimed mesmerized by her beauty.

"You are just cheesy, Julian Baker" she chuckled as he grabbed her body and pulled it against his kissing her hungrily

She immediately answered his actions, especially because his body was also as good as it could be. While things heated up, they stepped into the tub, the hot water embracing their calves making the moment a whole hotter.

As soon as the water met her skin Brooke moaned, it felt so good and relaxing and that was what she needed now. Actually it was the only thing her body could afford. She was dying to have sex with him again. And for the first time that he didn't show any restriction to this idea she felt like she would fall on her knees. And no, it wasn't because of the arousal built the moment she laid eyes in him.

"Julian" she said between kisses but her tired voice sounded more like a whisper and it only made him more aroused. His hands were travelling her body, her perfect breasts, her flat belly, her pretty ass until it founded her toned legs bringing them to his waist, just like he did this morning.

The moment he lifted her, the moan left her mouth and he recognized it. It wasn't one of pleasure, but one of pain "Brooke?" he asked placing her in the tub again.

"I am so sorry" she said embarrassed. Somehow she felt exposed in front of him now "I can't do it" she hurried walking away of the tube but he grabbed her arm and blocked the way to the door behind him.

"Talk to me, Brooke" he demanded. He had no idea of what he did wrong and why she looked to him now in a way she hadn't yet. She clearly wasn't comfortable around him and it disturbed him.

"We walked too much, my legs are killing me and I teased you so much yesterday and today and I know you are probably going to hate me for doing this with you" she pointed to his already very hard erection "It wasn't a mean plan and I am sorry. It wasn't hurting so much while I was lying in your bed" her voice was filled of embarrassment.

She knew it wasn't fair to him and she didn't want him to think she didn't want him, because she really did. But now she built his arousal, got him pretty excited and was leaving the bathroom because she couldn't have sex. She felt pretty bad. Not only because it was a very low move to any woman to do but also because she really wanted him. She was mad with herself. She should have taken the yoga or gymnastics classes her therapist suggested. Maybe her body would endure to have sex now.

"Brooklyn, look at me" he asked softly but she didn't budge "Please, look at me" he insisted but didn't lift her chin. He asked a couple more of times and she finally looked up at him.

"This was never about sex, I told you, and you can believe me. Your body is perfect and I am sorry but I can't control my actions, you have to understand every pore of your beautiful frame exhale sex to any man on Earth. I am sorry for drawing you into my tiring routine, so now let's take our shower"

"You said there is so much a man can resist. I won't turn this shower into torture. You have your shower, I'll have mine at home" she suggested

"Please, stay" he pleaded "I agree that is torturing to resist it when you look so perfect and beautiful but let's just sit here and talk. Just make sure the bubbles cover your amazing body and we are okay"

"Are you sure?" her tiredness was pleading her to accept his offer. Her body craved for the hot water she just stepped in.

"Positive, just get under the water, please" he looked away of her body. It was too tempting but he was willing to have this moment with her. The flirting and the physical contact were great and he loved to kiss her and feel her. Feeling himself inside of her again was what he wanted the most but spending time talking with her was as great.

"Okay" she muttered as she quickly moved underneath the tier of bubbles. He followed her moves and sat at the other side of the double tub.

"Oh my God, this is so good" she felt the hot water against her whole body and it was like she was melting and merging with the water.

Julian on the other hand wished the water was cold. It was insanely hard to resist but he could only imagine how tired and sore she was. It may not be fair with him but it certainly wasn't fair with her. Julian was admittedly selfish but he had always respected everyone's limits and needs, regardless of who they were. If he would do this to his crew, let alone to Brooke.

Feeling like his erection was persistent he tried to focus on Brooke, who rested her head in the edge of the tub with her eyes closed. He looked for her feet underneath the water and when he finally found them she jumped in her spot

"Easy, baby, I am just going to pleasure you with the Baker Massage Method" he smiled cockily

"I can only imagine how… aaaaaaaaawwwwwwwwwww" she moaned as the job of his hands started on her foot "Oh God, Julian, this is amazing"

"I am sure that's what you were about to say" he teased

"There, keep it there. Aww… Ohhh… Julian" she cried out

"Dimples, these groans and moans may not help my condition" he said drifting his eyes to his groin area.

"Oops. Sorry" she smiled forcefully leading him to shake his head and resume his action on her foot.

"Mhmmm" she said through sealed lips "I am trying but this is too good. I guess it is better than sex" she mocked.

"Ha-Ha" he pulled a mocking annoyed face.

"Just shut up and keep up the work, Baker" she demanded and he smirked. Bossy Brooke was one of his favorites.

Eventually he moved to her calves, that according to her was really hurting and after twenty minutes she felt like she had new legs.

"I could hire you as my personal chiropractor" she winked.

"I am happy as a movie producer, thank you, though I guess this job would add some years to my life" he smirked.

"Okay, while we don't have an agreement about your job status, I'll pay for it" she said, straddling over him "Repay for your services" she whispered in his ear.

"Brooke…." he started but she cut him off "Give me space" she said as she tried to position herself behind him. He gave in and made room for her.

"So, let's talk about your day" she said as she started massaging his shoulders.

"You were there the whole time, what's there to say?" he smirked at her horrible skills as a chiropractor. She had no idea of what she was doing with her hands.

"I want to hear your description" she demanded and he laughed obeying her order. While he described his view of their day together she was moving her hands down on his back. Julian ended up really distracted that he only realized her moves when she reached for his now sleeping member.

"Brooke!" he was frightened by her sudden move.

"Shhh. Just enjoy it, Producer Boy" she said reaching for her goal and feeling his erection on her palms even before she started her strokes.

"You… don't… need… to do… it" he breathed out. She was driving him insane. If she had no idea of how to massage his back muscles, she mastered her moves in his more sensitive ones.

She used both of her hands but she wasn't happy about her position. Her small arms and his wide back didn't allow her as much control as she wanted so she quickly moved to her right almost staying by his side and let go of her left hand on him.

"Oh Brooke!" he slammed his eyes shut and his breath sawed harshly while he tilted his head back keeping a strong grip in the brim of the tub. Her dirty and sensual tricks were driving him crazy.

"You were a veeeery good boy today. But I am a very mean girl, that will stroke you very fast" she whispered and did as she said "and veeeery slow" she said moving her moves to his erection's head, slowly "I won't forget the twins or the head" she said as she bit his earlobe "And then I'll start over again" she muttered as he moaned and cried out her name.

As the motions on his hard member continued she trailed the nails of her other hand in the back of his neck, sliding down to his back. Julian was brought to heaven with her perfect touch. He couldn't get tired of relating to the word perfection and all its variations to describe Brooke. It was the closest word to make justice to her, though it still called short.

"You didn't need to do it" he told her as they cuddled in the tub after he came.

"It wasn't fair to leave you with a boner" she explained kissing his cheek.

"But I told you it was okay" he kissed her shoulder.

"I wanted to do it anyway. I told you as a repay for your outstanding massage" she looked at him tenderly and he couldn't say anything else. "What about a quick hot shower before I go? This water is freezing" she suggested.

Julian just nodded, leaning down to kiss her "Thank you for tonight".

* * *

"You really don't mind me sleeping here tonight?" she asked for the third or fourth time already as they spooned in his bed.

"I wouldn't allow you to go to your house at two in the morning. If you want I could sleep in the couch" he offered but wanted her to disagree. His skin was craving for hers even more after their little shower escapade.

"Nah, I like your pajamas. It feels so good to touch" she confessed and she moved her bare legs onto his pajamas pants.

"I thought you would" he held her closer.

Some minutes later the endearing sound of her light snoring invaded his room. Unlike the first time that night, he was actually able to sleep after she caressed him so amazingly in the tub. Her light snore was now a lullaby to his ears.

* * *

_AN: This fic is almost reaching my very favorite part (two more chapters and we are there). I guess I won't be able to write any better not even in the final chapters._

_No more teasing. It is either no sex or sex :)_

_What I really enjoy about this chapter is how intimate they are getting without even realize it. Brooke shared her opinions about him as if they knew each other for years and purposefully or not, she was opening up some of her own life._

_I love it how Julian couldn't sleep because he was cherishing having her in his arms like that. I am loving to make they fall in love within ten days, five of each they are spending 24h together. It makes what they have to develop a lot faster than 'normal' relationships. And don't worry, Julian is not the only one getting vulnerable... we all know Brooke takes some time to accept things ;)_

_Next up: Jealous Brooke (my very fave); Villa's; a new waiter and Kate and a very complimenting Julian. Which Kate? Well it is for you to find out. It is not a character but an actual actress ;) and my very fave part: Brooke and Julian talk about his family in a very cute moment ;)_

_Thanks to Sab, Artemi, sb1218, Syrine.B, Love me some Julian and Kaos2405 for reviewing the last chapter. I love your reviews 3 Keep them coming!!!_

_xoxo_

_Babi  
_


	15. Julian & Brooke: Julls

**Lying Helpless in Her Arms**

**Chapter 14 - Julls**

* * *

Last night had been as pleasuring as hard for both Julian and Brooke. She was too tired physically to actually measure what her actions, and especially her words meant. She started seeing the real Julian Baker in the details of his personal life and she liked what she saw but she wasn't willing to admit it. Amidst her denial she was getting closer and closer to the charming raven haired man. She was opening up and getting addicted to his touch and voice.

Julian on the other hand was just vulnerable. He couldn't get rid of the idea that he was falling for Brooke but he wasn't making any moves to walk away as he did with Taylor and Lauren. He tried to convince himself it was because they only had a few more days before she moved to North Carolina. But if he was honest about the whole situation he would just back off because a few days was exactly what it took to let him so involved by the intriguing brunette. Even sleep by her side was difficult because he didn't want to miss a thing.

Brooke had no problem at all to sleep with him. She felt so good in his chest. Their bodies really fit and in no time after feeling herself enveloped in his arms, she fell asleep. She was the first to wake up in the morning, probably because she slept way more than usual. But it was still very early and she didn't want to wake him up yet. She slowly and carefully removed his arm from her waist and detached herself from his grip.

She propped her head in her hand and watched him sleep. He looked so peaceful and even sleeping he showed a beautiful smile. Sure, it was a small one, but still beautiful. Julian _was_ beautiful. He wasn't the exotic type, in fact his features were quite common but he still looked so different. He had a sex appeal that couldn't be described.

In addition to the great looks and charm, he was an amazing guy. He was the perfect guy for her. She could say he would never hurt her on purpose. The way he was always so caring and thoughtful about her every move made her feel special. If she ever opened up herself to love again, she wanted this person to be like Julian. In fact she wanted this person _to be Julian._

She looked up, over his shoulders and spotted his family portraits. He was a family guy even if he never wanted to have a woman by his side. The way he looked to his nephews was touching. The love was explicit in his endearing look and also in the happy smile plastered in his face. Suddenly she felt guilty for keeping her baby from having a father. Surely her baby girl would have her and Naley but she should have a father as well. Someone as loving as Julian were to his nephews.

She was lost in her thoughts and didn't realize his eyelashes slid open. Her beautiful and flawless face was the first image his eyes captured. He couldn't describe the feeling of seeing her in his bed and certainly that was how he wanted to start his day.

"Hi" his voice was low and raspy

"Good morning" she greeted with a cheerful voice showing off her dimples. Update. The best way to wake up was seeing her beautiful and flawless face plastering a dimpled smile while listening to her sexy yet sweet voice.

"What are you doing?" he asked curious.

She straddled over him and got one of the frames from the nightstand "Checking out your beautiful family. They are beautiful, Julls" she said adding a new nickname to their list.

"Did you know that's exactly how my sisters call me?" he added as he sat and rested his back against the headboard, bringing her back to his chest. "I'll let you use it for now" he teased but Brooke ignored the provocation.

"Who are they?" Brooke asked. She knew who they were, but she wanted to know the names and especially hear how Julian talked about his family.

"That's Isabella, my older sister and this is her husband, Dylan" he said pointing out to the two grownups sat in the beach, side hugging each other.

"This is my niece" he pointed to the only girl in the picture "She is the sweetest and prettiest girl in the whole world. There isn't any girl I love more than this little one".

Brooke noticed he held the same smile he had in the picture as he talked about his niece. "Does she have a name?" Brooke asked.

"I was waiting for you to ask. Actually my sister realized that I am just great and named Julia after me" he added cockily but Brooke could see the pride written in his face. He was definitely proud to have his niece named after him. "Poor girl" Brooke added but her sweet gaze showed him she wasn't annoyed.

"The little boy in my lap is Jayden. Isabella told me yesterday his second word was Ully" he explained and Brooke had never seen his eyes shining like right now.

"What's Ully?" she quizzed enchanted by his tender gaze in the picture.

"They call me Uncle Jully" he confessed not one bit embarrassed by his nickname to his nephews.

"Wow, what was the first?" she asked understanding why he was so happy about it.

"Ball, but that doesn't matter. He didn't say mama or dada, he said Ully" he said holding his beautiful grin "I love that boy".

"He is really cute" Brooke added looking at the brunette toddler.

"Is that a secret son you never told me about?" Brooke pointed to the second older kid who was pigged back on Julian. He was the one she thought was the carbon copy of his Uncle.

"That's Austin, and no, Brooklyn, he is not my hidden son. All the kids are Isabella's" he added looking at Austin. The four year old boy had nothing from Dylan and his brother-in-law was really jealous when Austin was born and especially as he as getting older and looking more and more like Julian. The boy had nothing from his father and for two long years Dylan had to stand Julian's even bigger cockiness.

"And this leaves us with Logan" Julian pointed the blond little boy "The sassiest of them" Logan was born two years and a half after Austin and for Dylan's happiness, he looked like his blue-eyed blond father and got nothing from Julian. Actually Isabella and Julian were very alike physically so when one of her child seemed to look like Julian, they actually got it from her, except with male traces.

"You have a beautiful family, Julian. You seem to be very close to them" Brooke mused looking up to see his face.

"I love them. I do my best to always be there but this business can be demanding. I was there last month at Jayden's birthday, and I am going there in two weeks, for Thanksgiving. I might leave in the next weekend in fact as I always release the crew the whole week for Thanksgiving and Christmas".

"Have you always been a holiday guy or you became the family holiday guy after they were born?" she asked placing the frame back on its place and taking another, clearly taken in the last Christmas.

"I guess I always liked both of these holidays, they are my favorite and my sisters and I always got reunited for at least one of them, then the babies came and Nathalie and I just used them as excuses to always eat for free on Isabella's" he joked.

"Is it Nathalie?" she asked pointing to the beautiful honey-blond girl.

"Yeah, that's my baby sister. She is coming to Wilmington for Thanksgiving" he nonchalantly added.

"Does your sister live on Wilmington?" Brooke asked surprised.

"Yep"

"That's the city before Tree Hill!" she impulsively exclaimed.

"I knew this name was familiar. I always pass by the Tree Hill 60 miles sign in my way from the airport to Isabella's house".

"Yeah" Brooke uncomfortably agreed. Surely the moment he passed the sign this weekend he would remember that Tree Hill is her city but she would already be in the small city instead of leaning on his chest.

"I will get a shower, do you want to come?" he asked seeing that she wasn't relaxed as before.

"Actually I am heading home, I have to shower, get new clothes. We meet at Villa's?" she suggested placing the second frame back in its place.

"Sure, sounds perfect. In forty?"

"Fifty?" she asked with a guilty smile.

"Take your time, Dimples. I see you in an hour at Villa's" he said kissing her forehead.

"Thank you" she said sweetly also standing up "Talk to you soon, Juker" she winked collecting her clothes from the nearby chair while he headed to the bathroom.

* * *

Julian was leaning in the outside wall of the café with his arms crossed on his chest as he watched Brooke approaching him.

She was wearing a white and blue stripped summer dress and had a sport coat hanging on her arm. That Wednesday was actually hotter than the last few days but it was no surprise as the weather was pretty crazy in New York lately.

"I know I sound like a broken record, but you look beautiful, Davis, as always. I really like the dress" he said before leaning down to peck her in the lips.

"Thanks, Julls, let's eat? I am starving" she asked as they intertwined their hands and entered the crowded café. It seemed like many of their neighbors had the same idea.

"Am I the only that didn't know this place? Look how packed it is" Brooke commented as they looked for an empty table.

Julian spotted Susan serving a table but he wasn't going to ask for her help, actually he was looking for the boy that served him yesterday, when the café was just as full as today. He finally saw the teenager heading to the counter when he called for him "Steve".

"Mr. Baker" Steve recognized Julian, though the producer didn't really like that Steve said the day before it was easy to memorize Julian's name as he served baked goodies the whole day. Julian hated when anyone associated his last name to food.

"Could you please get me and Ms. Davis a table?" Julian cordially asked.

"Sure, please, this way" the waiter pointed and they followed.

"The same as yesterday?" Julian asked Brooke as they sat.

"It looks fine for me" she nodded.

Julian made their orders while Steve wrote it.

"Please, extra foam on my latte, Steve" Brooke added with a cute smile leading the waiter to look up at Julian "Indeed the most beautiful and sweetest, Mr. Baker. Congratulations" and with that the young waiter was gone.

"What was that about?" Brooke asked.

"Yesterday, when I came, I told him I was getting breakfast for two, me and the most beautiful and sweetest girl in New York" Julian explained as he moved his hand over hers, caressing it softly.

"Oh… what about Susan?" she asked, blushing to his words and feeling the butterflies in her stomach. Not only had he addressed her in such a lovingly way in her presence but also to other people, even when she wasn't present.

"I only have eyes for you" he confessed bringing his hand to his lips feeling her shivering at his touch "And as entertaining as you can be when you are jealous, I don't want anyone else but you. Not for serving me breakfast or for anything".

The butterflies were even more intense while she looked into his eyes as he said it. It was almost if he didn't need the actual words. It was all written in his beautiful brown eyes.

"So what's the agenda for today?" she asked. She craved for Julian. They were too close to finally have sex for the second time and the mere touch of his lips on her skin already drove her insane. She needed to change the subject; otherwise she would melt under his touch and words and jump in his neck.

"I'll spend most of the day in the studio. I have some casting to do and a couple of meetings in the afternoon. Today is going to be less demanding" he explained her.

"Oh. The casting thing looks cool" she added.

"Yeah, I guess you will like it and maybe today you can meet Kate. She mentioned she wanted to meet the designer and learn some things to build the character. She was supposed to come by today for us to talk more deeply about the character"

"Oh my God, which Kate? Holmes? Hudson? Winslet?" Brooke asked excited. She hadn't thought about the actress who was going to play the designer. Surely the movie wasn't based on her per say but she was the designer that would actually sign the movies' clothes line so it felt like the actress was going to play her.

"Actually Beckinsale" he smiled.

"Kate Friggin' Beckinsale? Just voted the sexiest woman alive Beckinsale?" Brooke overreacted.

"That's the only and one" Julian smirked. He knew Brooke was going to be jealous of Kate. Though any woman should be jealous of Beckie, Brooke had no reason to be, he literally only had eyes for the designer.

"But that's not even her style of movie…" Brooke added but quickly figured it out "But she is totally _your_ style" she completed bitterly.

"Her agent looked for me for the role and she is talented and a great person. It was the perfect choice for the role" Julian justified.

"I am sure she can build her character without my help. It isn't rocket science to be a clothes designer" Brooke looked away. There was no way she was going to compete with Kate Beckinsale. She didn't stand a chance as the actress was just gorgeous, sexy, tall and thin.

"Are you jealous?" he smirked not believing she was this jealous.

"I have to say, you do have a pattern, Julian. Brunette, hazel eyes, creamy white skin" Brooke told him nodding her head.

"You are sooo jealous" he laughed tilting his head backwards.

"I am not. Why would I be if Kate Beckinsale is just some ugly and frivolous actress? Haven't you ever watched Pearl Harbor? Evelyn and Rafe make me cry every damned time I watch it. I even bought the DVD" Brooke sarcastically added, speaking the last part barely over a whisper "Plus why would I be jealous? It is not like I am your girlfriend" she completed with a tight smile finally looking at him for a fraction of second before move her gaze down to the table.

"First, she is married to one of my favorite directors. I worked with her husband once and we are sort of friends. I can assure you they are just happily married for years. Second, the character is a brunette, I didn't write it. Third, I told you this once and I am telling it again because I guess you didn't understand it entirely. Any competition only existed until the moment I met you and I am not talking only about this job. Yeah we may not be moving to the next level in this relationship, but I am with you and you are just the most beautiful woman out there and the only one I want." he finished above a whisper taking her hand again and rubbing with his thumb.

"Why do you keep saying these things as if they mattered? Why do you keep saying them at all?" she asked removing her hand from his, looking away for the second time.

"Because it is true" he answered softly and for the first time he actually thought she was going to cry. And she was, but not for the exact reason it would look at first.

"Right" she whispered playing with her napkin looking up to the counter anxious for their food to come and interrupt this conversation. He just confirmed for the thousandth time that he was going to leave her, that they wouldn't be together for good. It broke her somehow. Broke her delusional hope that maybe they would change who they were and make it.

They had such a great time at the day before and as much as she fought against it she imagined how it would be if they just let their walls fall. The thought wouldn't go away. It was always there when they were together. Especially yesterday during their ride in the park. Looking at him a few times in that afternoon she thought they had a chance to be happy. She wanted to have this chance.

"Brooke…" he started but she cut him off "They are bringing our food. Let it go" she smiled forcefully.

"By the way her eyes are more greenish" he tried to lighten up things by provoking her.

"Uhhhhh… I hate her!" Brooke hissed "No, I hate _you_ actually" she completed turning her attention to the waiter that approached them.

"I am afraid that's not true" he smirked as Steve reached their table.

"Let's eat, Julian" Brooke suggested and he only complied, choosing to give her a break.

* * *

Brooke and Julian finished that breakfast in a good mood. The melancholic moment Brooke had at the expense of the famous actress was long forgotten. She knew better than be jealous of Kate. It was about herself, not even Julian. She wouldn't have it.

They did the casting during the morning and they had a great time doing it. Brooke actually added a lot of relevant remarks which didn't totally surprised Julian. He knew how talented and intelligent she was.

They had lunch together in the studio and while Julian went to one of his meetings Brooke stayed in company of Bianca, Julian's make-up leader. She surely wanted to learn some tricks and get some tips as she had nothing more interesting to do and Kate Beckinsale wouldn't be in the building until three in that afternoon.

"Are you sure you are not needed in the meeting? Because I am sure Julian is guilty for letting me here alone" Brooke asked a bit guilty herself. She didn't want to get into anyone's job because of Julian overcareful and pampering ways.

"To be honest, normally I am in these meetings, just because the whole crew is, including the costumes designer but trust me, they are rarely really useful for us, the beauty team" Bianca assured her.

"The beauty team?" Brooke smirked; she actually liked the name and was happy for being included.

"We make them look beautiful, it is our jobs, so I call us the beauty team: make-up, hair and costumes" the short blond offered.

"Do you always work with Julian?" Brooke asked curious.

"Ever since his first movie" Bianca said proudly "He is different you know… the way he treats the crew, the actors, from the smallest to the biggest member of his crew. He is human and caring and trust me many people in this business aren't. He is great man, I feel honored to be part of his permanent crew"

Brooke could realize that Bianca really meant what she said and she couldn't avoided the next question.

"So did he get to know you as well?" Brooke asked shyly looking around.

"I am not sure I totally understand what you mean" Bianca said confused and that answer was enough for Brooke. Bianca wasn't one of Julian's conquers, though she now realized she would feel like a fool for asking if Bianca had been one of women in his past. But she couldn't help. She wanted to know if she was any different to him than the others had been. She still had a tiny, tiny hope that she was in fact special to him.

"You know, you seem to know him so well. I was only wondering if he knows you too" Brooke added.

"I guess" Bianca looked at Brooke with a frowned faced but she didn't put a lot of thought on this. These celebrities could be weird sometimes.

"Anyway, have you worked with Kate Beckinsale before?" Brooke asked desperately trying to change the subject. Bianca was probably thinking she is a freak or just a moron.

"No, but I am very excited about it. Julian has only nice words about her. I listened to him saying a whole day how great, beautiful, extraordinaire she was. And every time Julian was this emphatic about someone, he was right" the blond added and Brooke only smiled forcefully as they kept walking in silence.

"Speaking of the devil" Brooke nodded pointing out to the entrance where Kate was walking in.

"Hi" the actress said approaching Brooke and Bianca "I am looking for Julian Baker, do you know how can I find him in this maze?"

"He is in a staff meeting but he will be out very soon. You can wait in his office if you want" Bianca offered.

"Actually is the costumes designer with him as well? I'd prefer to see her actually. He told me she would be here today" Kate smiled sweetly.

Bianca looked up to Brooke that couldn't help but smooth her dress a little bit before stretching her hand "Brooke Davis, I am the designer"

"Like Clothes over Bros Brooke Davis?" the taller brunette asked surprised.

"That would be me" Brooke smiled proudly.

"Wow, that's great, I have a lot of your pieces" Kate confessed "Actually" she added as she took her coat off "This top, one of my very favorites, is an original Brooke Davis" she completed.

"Well, I'll let you two talk. Brooke, Julian told you could use his office if you wanted. Do you remember how to get there?" Bianca asked and Brooke nodded thanking the blond for keeping her company and for the nice conversation.

"My memory is really bad, except for memorizing texts, I am sorry I didn't recognized you" Kate offered sort of embarrassed.

"No problem, it is not like I am a Hollywood powerful girl or voted the sexiest woman alive" Brooke winked.

Kate smiled shyly and Brooke actually really liked the woman. Julian was probably right, she is probably really nice and she would let her pointless jealousy behind them.

* * *

Brooke and Kate made it to Julian's office and the actress wasted no time making a thousand questions about the life of a hot designer. Brooke was having a great time answering the questions and the two of them just got along really well.

About an hour later Julian finally finished his meeting to join them in his office.

"If it isn't my current favorite women" he added as he entered the office interrupting a lighthearted conversation.

"JB" Kate said standing up to hug him.

"Beckie, so I guess you finally met the designer" he replied as they broke the embrace.

"I sure did, you couldn't have made a better choice; I am a fan" she offered winking to the petite brunette.

"Yeah, me too" Julian said as he approached Brooke mesmerized by her shy and pretty smile "She is great, isn't she Beckie?" he completed not moving his eyes away of Brooke.

"I missed you, Dimples" he whispered leaning down to brush his lips in hers.

Brooke was actually surprised by his actions. They haven't talked about how they were handling their 'relationship' in his work environment and assuming that Bianca didn't know about them, she imagined he preferred to keep it under wraps. She was even shier and blushing after the kiss, looking up quickly to Kate who was moving back to her chair by Brooke's side.

"So I was talking to Brooke and I guess I could build the character on her, what do you think, Julian? There might be some differences between Brooke and Juliet but I guess adding some reality wouldn't hurt" Kate suggested.

"You can freely add anything from Brooke to Juliet, Kate. Let your feeling guide you through this. Brooke would only make our main girl more interesting and captivating" he added with a passionate gaze to his partner.

"That's good, because Brookie here already gave me a lot of tips and I think we'll make a great team." She confessed winking to Brooke as she stood up again "But now, I got go, I was only waiting to see you, JB. We'll talk soon" she said and he kissed both of her cheeks "Say hello to Len and Lily for me"

"Will do" she smiled and turned to Brooke "It was great to meet you, Brooke. We'll keep in touch. Just don't become a stranger, I hope you show up in the set when we start shooting" Kate added knowing that Brooke wasn't going to be around the set from next week on, though Brooke just came out with some excuse, not revealing her plans to move away. Brooke nodded and also kissed Kate and with that the actress was gone.

"So _JB_, I guess _Beckie_ is actually nice after all" Brooke said as soon as Kate left.

"She surely is, I am glad you liked her, Brooklyn" he honestly said moving his hands to her waist and bringing her closer.

"So what's next, movie producer?" she asked bringing her hands to behind his neck.

"I have good news and bad news, which one do you want first" he asked bringing his lips to hers.

"I don't need bad news, only good, can't this be changed?" she pouted in his arms. The feeling of belonging never leaving her heart.

"Sorry, Dimples, but it can't" he said as he pulled off a strand of hair from her face.

"Okay" she said leaning her head on his chest.

"I need to work overtime today; I guess we won't be able to see each other tonight" he explained and kissed her head.

"But we had a deal of five more days" she whined. That was as worse as the news could get.

"I am sorry, but I'll make up for you tomorrow"

"How come?" she asked looking up at him, her chin still resting on his pecs.

"I scheduled the visit to the Hamptons house just after the lunch and then we will have the rest of the day for us" he grinned hoping it would cheer her a bit.

"But I want you today" she kept her pouting.

"I know, me too, but you don't need to leave now. I have some work to do here now, you could keep me company" he suggested with his puppy face.

"Fine" she murmured "But I want some sex tomorrow" she demanded.

Julian could only chuckle. "Fine, Brooklyn" he agreed and she finally smiled to him. Tomorrow was going to be the day for them and they couldn't wait for it.

* * *

_AN: I wanted this chapter to be related to Julian's family and friends. I love the moment they share in his bed, about his family. Julian Baker __**is **__a family guy and he doesn't hide it. Just because he doesn't do girlfriends and consequently wives, it doesn't mean he isn't a family guy._

_I purposefully wrote off Susan of this story. She played her purpose. She was the living proof of how Julian was before Brooke. He never changed himself because of anyone so it is only about time for him to recognize he is in love with Brooke Davis. And he tries proving it to her, time after time, saying there is anyone like her, but she doesn't believe him. And I wouldn't either if I were her._

_For Brooke, it is more complicated. First, because she had already been there, fell in love and was hurt and she isn't willing to feel it again. She is still fighting her best though sometimes, just like in the conversation with Bianca – who will play an important role in this story later – where she couldn't help but exposure herself to a potentially ridiculous position just because she wanted to know more about Julian's past. Actually she needed to know how he felt and behaved around the women he seduced to know if he was just repeating everything with her and if what they had was indeed genuine._

_And there is Kate Beckinsale, the beautiful and sweet brunette that I really like. I just had this idea that I would include the lead actress of the movie in the story and she was the first name in my head, I have no idea why and then it was perfect when she and Brooke had some similar features, leading Brooke to think that Julian is just following his pattern with her._

_I know I own you a real, full, complete sex scene… I hope it comes in the next chapter… if it doesn't then in the following it will. I am just postponing it the best I can because the moment they sleep together again, the dynamic of his story will change and I love what we have now, so I am delaying this moment the best I can. This only adds a lot of pressure on my shoulders as I am sure you guys have great expectations to this delayed moment and I am not sure I will be able to fulfill them._

_I want to thank my faithful and new reviewers: Kayla, vampiregurl, Artemi, Syrine.B, undiscoveredwriter, sab, kaos2405 and Love me some Julian. You guys rock and I love to read your reviews. _

_I also love it when I have new reviewers, so don't stop them ;)_

_I will update a couple (or three) times before I travel for the holidays._

_xoxo_

_Babi  
_


	16. Julian & Brooke: Jully

**Lying Helpless in Her Arms **

**Chapter 15 - Jully**

* * *

Brooke left Julian's office early in the evening, when he reunited with his bosses, and headed to her apartment. She suggested waiting for him at his hotel room but he told her these meetings normally ended in the dim hours of the night and he wouldn't let her waiting for him for so long.

She didn't know what to do. She arrived at her apartment but she didn't find anything to fill her night. She tried to remember what she usually did before Julian entered her night routine just three days ago but she didn't find any satisfactory answer.

She tried to read but couldn't concentrate. She turned on her TV but all shows were boring. She looked for a movie to watch but they weren't interesting enough. Everything was tedious and she found herself bored.

Actually those were the things she would usually do before him and while back then they were enough for her to forget her empty life, now they weren't. In fact trying to do these meaningless things just proved her she wasn't living her life to the fullest. Damn it, in fact it proved how miserable she was and how she wanted him to be with her tonight just like the past two nights.

She missed him and it couldn't be good, could it? She wasn't supposed to miss him. He was a welcomed distraction. The last adventure she would have before she finally settled down for a family. A family that she couldn't imagine without him.

How crazy was that? One week ago she had everything planned in her mind. The Scotts living in the next door to her and her baby girl at home. The park rides with Jamie and the baby. Haley's Mac and Cheese in the joint families' dinner. Reading stories for her little girl to sleep. Everything was planned in her head and honestly she thought it was the perfect plan, until it wasn't anymore.

The way Julian was so caring and loving to his family showed her a couple of things that she hadn't really considered before. As much as she would be there for her daughter and they would have Naley, her peanut wouldn't have a father and it wasn't fair. She wanted to give the best to her child and it included a father. She realized how selfish she would be by adopting a baby to supply her own emotional needs. But what about the baby emotional needs? It certainly included a father and she couldn't just deprive her baby of the important love that only a dad would give her.

Surely Brooke knew that having a mother was better than living in an orphanage or jumping from foster parents to foster parents but she _wanted_ her daughter to have a father. Many kids didn't have one of the parenting figures for some reason and it worked fine, but she wanted her kids to have everything she didn't have and that included the father figure.

But that wasn't the only reason why Julian all of sudden was in the picture of her future family.

He opened her eyes to the reality that she really had dreamed of a father, of a husband to make the picture perfect in the first place and he would be the perfect fit. The way he loved and cared about his nephews was touching and beautiful. She wanted her daughter to be the target of such loving and proud eyes.

She wanted someone like him to parent her kids but it wasn't that simple. In her twenty-two years she didn't find anyone like Julian for a reason. Men like him weren't raining from the sky. They were rare to find and she had the big luck to find him.

She could picture his face when his children were born, with him being the first to hold them after the doctor. She didn't necessarily need to be the mother, it was about him. It was about him and the love he would nurture for the little baby in his arms. It was about his nature. It was about his personality and his big heart. She could imagine the grin and the tears falling down his beautiful face as his baby uttered its first cry. She knew she didn't need to be the woman laying in the gurney, sweating like a pig and screaming her lungs. But she wanted to be that woman. In her fantasies and dreams she would be that woman.

How fucked up was everything? She knew she wouldn't be that woman. Actually she wasn't even sure if he would ever be a father. He could just be an Uncle and be happy with it. After all the kids really seemed to love him. Learning how to say Ully was really more complicated than mama or dada but still that was his nephew second word and for Julian it seemed enough.

She knew she was stretching the reality here. If Julian never meant to have a woman, he certainly never meant to be a father as well. He probably discovered himself in the role of an Uncle and embraced it knowing that it was perfect for him. He probably loved those kids as if they were his and he didn't need someone to actually call him dada to feel loved and to love back. And it showed her that maybe she was making a huge mistake.

She had Jamie and if she really wanted to feel love and loved she should invest in the kid that was already part of her life instead of 'buying' herself a new one. That was how she felt now, she was feeling like she needed a baby and so she would simply get a baby, as if it was shoes or purses. For the first time she thought about how the baby would fit in her busy life, even in Tree Hill, and growing up to just be the aim of all her expectations in life. That was a weight she shouldn't put on anyone else.

_Damn it, Julian Baker, _she thought blaming the charming man instead of realizing she made no sense at all as raising a child alone wasn't that curse to a child. She blamed him instead of admitting that her dream of a week ago was now so wicked and selfish because she wanted him to be part of it. She blamed him because she didn't want to go back to her old dream, of having her own traditional family of mommy and daddy happily creating life together.

Her thoughts were abruptly interrupted by her phone ringing. The moment she read his name in her Blackberry screen her heart skipped a beat. It should be a sign to prove her it was okay to resume her old dream but she didn't feel like that.

"Hi" she greeted but he could say her usual cheeriness was missing and he didn't feel arrogant by thinking it was because of him because he was just as miserable for being away from her.

"_I am in the middle of a coffee break and I thought I would call you and listen to your beautiful voice" _he offered.

"How thoughtful. Thanks for remembering of me" she sadly added. She was still in the mood of her last thoughts but a small smile was drawingin her face because of his words.

"_There isn't one moment that I remember to forget you" _he couldn't resist but make the cheesy remark.

"How is the meeting going? It is already eleven in the night and you are making coffee breaks? I guess it will actually be a long night" she asked letting go of her last hope to see him even if for some seconds today.

"_It always is. Except for a couple of locations, including the Hamptons, the pre-production is wrapped up. It is time to review budgets and evaluate all the choices and finally start shooting. The executives always come and talk about numbers and numbers. I really hate it" _he said with an annoyed voice.

"I can imagine. That's why I hired a CEO. I only care about creating my designs and making some decisions about the company's future but I let all numbers to Victoria" she sighed relieved. She hated these meetings and was glad that Victoria never really thought of including her.

They were in silence for few moments until Julian broke it _"I miss you, Brooke. I feel like something is missing if I am not with you" _he confessed.

She wondered if she should confess how she felt or not. The truth was she was missing him like crazy and she knew he wouldn't tease her if she admitted it. He knew better than that and that wasn't the problem. He wasn't the problem. She was. Was she ready to admit it out loud?

"I miss you too, Julls. A lot" she breathed out and it didn't feel as bad as she thought it would, at least not until his next words.

"_Spend the holiday with me and my family. You will love them and I am sure they will love you just as much. We will be just some miles away" _he blunted unexpectedly surprising even himself.

He had no idea of where it came from but he didn't regret saying it. Two more days weren't enough.

"Julian, I can't" Brooke mechanically answered. She was used to deprive herself from this closeness. The answer was automatic in her lips before she even thought of any reason why she really couldn't.

"_Just one day. Come to spend one day with me. I want you to meet them" _he added also without a lot of thinking. It was what he needed and he wasn't willing to over think it.

Actually Julian didn't really plan this because he never introduced anyone to his nephews. Surely Nathalie and even Isabella met a woman or two but his nephews were sacred for him especially because Julia was already starting to ask why he didn't have a wife like her dad. Those children were his hidden treasure and he wasn't willing to share it with anyone else. Until now.

"It will be my first holiday with my Jamie. I want to make it special and help Haley" she explained remembering the only time she had it was with Karen and Lucas but those weren't fond memories, not anymore.

"_Are you serious? Isn't the kid your godson?" _he asked surprised.

"Yeah, but Thanksgiving is actually a hard time for me to leave New York. For the store is critical and I need to be around to ensure everything goes smoothly" she replayed some of the words Victoria used to keep her in town.

"_I guess they are restarting the meeting. I talk to you tomorrow" _he announced drastically changing his tone and for her he sounded distant, even cold.

"Thanks for calling, it made my night" she finally admitted with a soft voice and a dimpled smile.

"_Good night, Brooke" _he answered and hung up.

Brooke didn't understand what just happened. She knew Julian. Yeah, it wasn't really possible to know someone in seven days but she knew him a little bit. She had already said 'no' to him in these past seven days and that was never his reaction. He didn't accept defeat in the first frustrated attempt. He was insistent and he really sounded to want her there with him for at least one day.

While she was tempted to go, she knew this would only make their unavoidable separation harder. It was a one night stand that quickly turned into a fling, then a sort of relationship that would last five days. If she showed up on his family holiday it was certainly stretching their deal and it would make things more complicated.

But if her negative answer wasn't the reason why he changed so abruptly then what was it? She tried to repeat their whole conversation in her head to find what she did wrong or what would have hurt him but she didn't. He talked about his annoying meeting and she explained how she handled this stuff on C/B. They admitted to miss each other. He invited her to his sister's house, she said no and that was it. Why would he possibly snap on her like that?

She tried to find a reason but she couldn't and when her tiredness and sleep were finally kicking off she decided to let it go. She was over analyzing it. He was probably just stressed by the meeting. But they haven't talked about what they would do tomorrow, except they were visiting the Hamptons house.

She didn't know if she was supposed to meet him for breakfast or if he was coming to take her, so she decided to text him. What initially was supposed to be just a quick text turned out into a testament.

She wrote it and changed into her night gown to sleep. Her last thought being him before she found herself lost in the darkness of her sleep.

* * *

Julian was in an even worse mood when they resumed their meeting. He really disliked these meetings but they couldn't be avoided. There were a few before and during pre-production and a few as the movie was shot but he just wished he could delegate it to someone else, just like Brooke delegated to Victoria.

Remembering of her name made him remember why he was in such worse mood all of sudden. He was disappointed; in fact he was deeply disappointed with the woman he thought was perfect. Absolutely disappointed with the only person he actually believed would change him. But now he couldn't think about Brooke Davis and her cold heart. He needed to pay attention in what these executives were saying because he needed to defend the budget and his choices, especially the ones that were over the initial budget. Brooke Davis could wait.

He was showing some numbers in the flip-chart when her message come. From where he was he saw his phone flashing that he got a new call or text but he couldn't abandon his presentation now and check it. He would do it later. It was over midnight and he was sure it was probably just advertising. Who would call him now? For a moment he thought about Brooke but it could wait.

When he moved back to his chair an hour later he had long forgotten about his phone. The studio was making it harder than usual for him but he knew at the end of the night they would finally have an agreement. So why didn't they spare everyone's time and just approved the damn budget?

They didn't go without a fight though and after a lot of talking and two hours later they finally had a deal and Julian was somewhat happy with the result. They quickly bid good night and Julian walked to the parking lot. When he didn't find the car he was looking for it hit him. He wasn't with Brooke tonight. Her C/B car wasn't there waiting for him. He needed to call for a cab.

Opening his phone he saw he had a message from her but he would read it later. First he needed a cab that would get him. If his day wasn't so tiring he would certainly sleep in the set. There were plenty of beds there but he decided against it.

He sat there, in a bench, waiting for his cab when he decided he would read her message.

_Hi. I just wanted to say good night as I really didn't have a chance earlier, before you hung up on me. We didn't set anything for tomorrow morning. I'd just like to know if you are picking me up, if I should meet you at Villa's or if I just should head to the Hamptons. I don't know what happened, Julls, but I really can't change my plans to Thanksgiving. Jamie is waiting for me and it killed me to never be there for him before but my mother wouldn't let me. I feel horrible for being such a horrible godmother and he deserves the best in the world, so I can't negotiate Thanksgiving, not for anything or anyone. I am sorry, but believe me I really want to meet your nephews, they seem lovely and the way you look at them is certainly something I'd like to witness. Maybe any other day. Talk to you soon. Brooklyn._

"Damn it, Julian" he yelled frustrated after reading the message for the fourth or fifth time. How could she be so sweet and forgiving? He treated her like crap without any reason. He didn't have a right to judge her relationship with her godson. Yeah he moved mountains to be with his nephews but that was him. He had nothing to do with how Brooke treated her godson.

He didn't have a right to hang up on her, being so dismissive of her admission that she was happy for his call, which was his goal in the first place. It surprised him because he was never this rude to anyone. He was always understanding and polite. Why did he react like that to Brooke of all people?

He hated himself for what he did to her. She didn't deserve it. He hadn't been fair because it was none of his business but especially because he didn't know the whole story. Victoria seemed to be very controlling and he knew she was a touchy subject for Brooke. If she thought Brooke didn't need any man in her life to be happy, why would she allow Brooke to have a family?

Though they haven't talked about her problems ever since the day in the roof he could now understand why she wanted to leave. She wanted to be close to her friends and her godson. He could say how much she loved Haley by the two times they talked about her best friend. Surely Brooke loved her friend and her godson. He never met someone with a bigger heart than Brooke. He felt like a jerk for thinking bad of her and especially for acting on it. And he needed to fix it, now.

His cab was there and in the empty streets of Manhattan he was in front of her building in no time. He looked at his watch. It was almost four in the morning but he needed to talk to her. He couldn't wait until tomorrow.

Fortunately her doorman recognized him because of the other day Brooke authorized him to go to her apartment in the morning. Julian had little work to convince the man that she meant it overall and not only yesterday because she had asked him to let all the other doormen to know it as well.

He elevator ride had never been so long. Surely she lived in the penthouse of an old building with more than thirty floors but it seemed disbelievingly longer today than any other day. The doors opened to her apartment and while he felt really bad for waking her he needed to talk to her more than he ever needed to talk to anyone before. It was stronger than him.

He placed his bag and folders on her counter, by the side of her own belongings. He kicked off his shoes right there because he didn't want to wake her with his steps. He walked in the tip of his toes to her bedroom and slowly and carefully opened her door to find her sleeping like an angel. Just like she would always look.

As he approached her and walked to the other side of her bed, which was empty he could see her strong grip in her phone. She had waited for him to call her. He felt even worse about this whole situation and just wanted to spank himself in the stomach. She expected him to be as forgiving as she was, when she wasn't blamed for anything in the first place.

Julian looked away from her for a moment. It hurt him to know he probably hurt her feelings and just like that in the middle of her dark bedroom a fear rolled down his face. The last time Julian cried was when Julia was born and the second last he honestly couldn't remember because he didn't cry; never.

But he knew why he was crying. He knew that as much as he had been unfair to her and totally overboard there was no reason for him to cry. It wasn't like she had cried herself to sleep. It wasn't like he broke her heart or like he would never see her again. He was just rude and she was probably hurt by this jerky actions.

It would be like that to anyone else but for Julian Baker it wasn't that simple. The moment he saw her holding the phone with her life he remembered of her crying in the roof. He remembered how broken and vulnerable she was and he remembered his silent promise that he would protect her.

And for him it didn't matter if it was a big or a small and insignificant thing, he had hurt her and he wouldn't forgive himself for that. He said to her that he would never do it and he just did. As much as the relationship with his nephews and the love they nurtured for him proved he wasn't a failure, the ghost of his parents' speeches still haunted him. He could be a failure about anything; he didn't care anymore, as long as he didn't fail to his nephews… and to Brooke.

Pulling himself together he peeled off his coat, shirt and pants and standing on his boxer shorts and wife beater he climbed on her bed. He moved his hand to hers and detached the device from it as she slightly stirred under his touch. He placed it on the nightstand behind him and turned back to her, brushing her hair, softly saying her name.

"Brooke" he repeated a few times until her eyelashes finally fluttered open.

"Julls? What time is it?" she asked confused and still half-sleep.

"It is late but I had to see you" he soothed.

"Why? Is there anything wrong?" she questioned forcing herself to blink a few times to be as awake as possible at four in the morning. Something probably happened to bring him to her house in the middle of the night.

"I am sorry" he started "That was totally uncalled but that meeting was really stressful. There is no excuse. I should never have treated you like that" he completed as he partially hid the reasons why he was so rude. This was what ignited him to go overboard but that wasn't what actually made him explode and this he wouldn't confess to her. Not only because he was embarrassed of his actions but because Brooke didn't need one more person to judge her actions. He knew she needed affirmation and not the opposite. He wouldn't hurt her more than he already did.

She sighed relieved. She thought something much worse had happened. Surely she was surprised and somewhat hurt by his sudden rudeness but that was all.

"It is okay. I thought that was the reason. I can only imagine how stressing those meetings are" she said softly, yawning still very sleepy.

"No, it is not okay. I promised I would never hurt you and I failed and I am so sorry" he confessed before he could actually think about the words he was saying.

"Hey, honey, that was nothing. Really, people do it all the time, it hurts a bit, but that's nothing. Everyone has a bad day and you had a bad minute, so you still have twenty-three hours and fifty-nine minutes to snap on me" she added lightheartedly moving her hand to his cheek and rubbing it.

Actually she was surprised by how something so ordinary made him come to apologize. Julian was making it really hard for her to not fall in love with him. She never thought someone could actually be so sensitive.

"So will you forgive me?" he pleaded and her forgiveness was the only thing that really mattered for him.

"There is nothing there to forgive, Julls but it seems to be important for you, so yeah, you are forgiven. Now shall we sleep?" she added feeling her eyelashes really heavy but her heart really warmed by his caring actions towards her feelings.

Her words meant the world to him. He felt so guilty and it was good to know it wasn't that important to her.

"Thank you, Dimples" he said as he moved her to his chest and brushed her hair almost immediately listening to her light snoring "I won't hurt you" he whispered in her hair "Because I am falling in love with you"

_

* * *

AN: As much I want to make these characters perfect, they are not. He snaps and jumps to conclusions and she is a coward hiding her undeniable feelings. It happens all the time in real life and I will certainly add more flaws._

_Julian idealizes Brooke. She is like this perfect woman on a pedestal to him and while if he found out she was a kleptomaniac or someone who hated Christmas wouldn't change her perfect image to him, being dismissive of a child was something that really hit him._

_The truth is he overreacted. Twice actually, when he jumped to conclusion and when he blamed himself and cried. The other day I met a couple of friends and their baby, who is about 9 months old and the mother confessed me she cried because her nail scratched his cheek when she was getting the baby dressed. She actually cried. So I decided to write Julian as the same. He only loved his babies – which weren't exactly his, but still – and that's how he knows to love, overreacting like we do with babies. _

_The promise he made to her that he wouldn't hurt her and the promise he made to himself that he would protect her were really serious for him because he is a honorable man that keeps his word. He felt horrible for breaking it and let's not forget this boy has a huge failure complex._

_I know it is another different vibe chapter but I can't get him finally confessing that he is in love with her while they flirt and provoke each other. But now that he finally realized it, it is time for sex and while hot sex only comes on chapter17, there will be romantic sex on 16 :P. What can I do? This fic isn't rated M for nothing._

_And about next updates, they are reserved for 2010 :( I am leaving to spend the holidays with my mother and I am not sure I will be able to update it from there. My whole family lives in another state and I have to travel 300 miles to meet them, so I might as well enjoy it._

_I means I will give you more time to review :P_

_Thanks to sab, Kayla, Syrine.B, Artemi, Elilo and kaos2405 for the reviews in the next chapter. You guys are great!_

_Happy holidays for those who celebrate them!_

_See ya on 2010._

_xoxo_

_Babi  
_


	17. Julian & Brooke: Juke Part I

**Lying Helpless in Her Arms**

**Chapter 16 - Juke – Part I

* * *

**

They woke up in the next morning running late. Julian had barely slept not only because he still felt guilty for snapping on her but especially because of the words that slip his lips. For the first time he said out loud that he was in love with someone – or falling in love for that matter. But how long would he deny it? He never felt so bad about something he did like he felt about the way he treated her over the phone. It was undeniable now and he was thankful that at least he said it to a sleeping Brooke. She was so tired or sleepy that in the moment she touched his chest, she fell asleep again, few seconds before the words actually left his mouth.

He knew he shouldn't let her know it, especially because she was leaving in two days. It wouldn't be fair with her and she actually seemed very comfortable with their agreement. He had never seen Brooke reluctant about their deal. She was always positive about it and never really complained or suggested to stretch it and though she had a good reason to turn down his proposal, she did it as if she wasn't the least tempted to visit him in the holidays. She hadn't even made any innocent or sappy comments. It worked fine for her because she was soon starting a new chapter of her life with her family and friends. And the baby. He still hadn't asked her about the baby. That thought had crossed his mind but they hadn't really time to talk about it yet.

And now they were running late, without any breakfast, to the studio and that felt horrible. He loved to have breakfast with her. It was always a highlight of their days and he could certainly say she was a morning person.

With so much in his head in their way to work he actually spent most of time silent and Brooke thought it was because of yesterday's events.

To be honest she didn't remember exactly what he said when he woke her up in the middle of the night. She remembered he apologized for snapping and he actually looked awful about it but that was it. She was really sleepy and begging to be back to her dreams to actually be able to remember about it. She didn't have a chance to talk about it as they woke up and he rushed to his hotel room to take a shower and change while she would do the same in her apartment. And now they were in the car for about ten minutes but except for complimenting her clothes, she hadn't heard a word from Julian and it felt weird.

"So was the meeting productive?" she decided to break the silence.

"They never are. They say how much we should spend. We show them how we couldn't cut anything and this is it. One showing their points to the other until the dim hours of night. Eventually they agree and we all go home" Julian answered nonchalantly.

"That sounds pointless" Brooke remarked.

"It is but we can't go without it"

"Are you still upset?" she asked after another brief silence.

"About what?" he answered. His head was in the moon and he had no idea of what she was talking about even though it was pretty obvious.

"Yesterday" she simply explained.

"The question is, are you? I am the one who went totally overboard" he retorted quietly.

"Julls, it is okay. You were in a stressing and pointless meeting that was crossing the night and you snapped on me over a phone call. It happens all the time" she offered as she drove.

"No, Brooke. There is no explanation. It was uncalled and I am happy you forgave me, but I shouldn't had been such a jerk"

"Okay. But don't over think it, okay?" she asked turning to look at him as the traffic light went red, showing a sweet smile.

"Okay" he answered copying her actions.

Another pregnant silent presented and Brooke hated it. He hadn't been himself this morning and she wasn't sure if it was only because of their little misunderstanding yesterday. She had caught his face a few times as she drove and she knew he was in deep thinking. He looked exhausted and it could also be the explanation but her sixth sense still told her it was something else.

There weren't any wit comments or flirting touches. He had quickly kissed her in the lips before leaving her bedroom and repeated the same when she stopped in front of his hotel to get him.

She missed his touch, his voice and especially his kisses and she wouldn't let an insignificant bad answer spoil the last two days they had together. But the more she thought about it, the more unlike Julian it looked. He was always so confident and upbeat. This silence and even coldness didn't fit him and she would change it.

She sped in the gas and in no time they were at the studio parking lot. Her crazy driving seemed to be totally unnoticed by him that still held the same distant and thoughtful gaze.

As soon as she parked, he automatically reached for his seat belt and was about to unhook it when she reached for his arm.

"What happened?" she asked looking up to him with pleading eyes.

"Nothing" he answered by inertia but both knew it wasn't true.

"Are you upset because I am not visiting you on Thanksgiving?" she tried to figure it out.

"No… yes… of course… but it is not that… I am just… I know you want to spend time with your family and so do I. As you said, maybe next time" he answered but she felt he was still distant and it wasn't like Julian. He wasn't broody. He didn't brood at all and she wasn't taking it.

"Julian, what happened? Why are you so weird? Why are you brooding? You do not brood, I love it that you never brood but that's all you did this morning" she vented sliding her hand down on his arm until it reached his hand "Talk to me, Honey".

"I am tired and the meeting was wearing and now I have another day ahead of me and you are leaving on Saturday morning and it all sucks" he half admitted.

"Is that why are you so quiet? Because I am leaving?" she asked and felt her heart getting warm towards the raven haired guy.

"Mainly, yes" he confessed looking tenderly to her and for the first time that morning she saw glimpses of the man she loved to be with.

"So we might enjoy the time we have together. I miss your touch, I miss your voice, I miss your kisses and I only have forty eight hours more of this and I don't think I am already tired. I miss you" her voice cracked in the last part and his heart sank as he realized that ever since they woke up he was actually quite indifferent to the girl he was falling in love.

"I am so sorry, Brooklyn" he said as his hand reached for her cheek rubbing it and stealing a smile of her beautiful face.

"Is there any problem? Did something else happen? Is your family okay? Why are you so pensive? It is like you are not you and if you have any problem, I can try to help. I want you to know I am here for you" she offered squeezing his hand.

"There is nothing wrong, Dimples. I am sorry. I was lost in some thoughts but that's nothing" he assured her.

"Are you sure?" she asked softly.

"Yes, now shall we work?" he suggested.

"Not yet, mister. I might as well have a bit of my Boy Toy to make up for these thirty minutes ride when I was absolutely disregarded" she demanded with a mischievous smile.

"Of course, Brooke Davis" he agreed pulling her arms and bringing her over him "I am more than happy to fulfill my Boy Toy tasks" he said before capturing her lips with his.

The moment their lips touched both of their spirits changed. Julian forgot for some moments that he had confessed he was falling for her and she forgot the cold treatment she received until now.

Their tongues were quickly giving access to one another and he could feel her light moans in his mouth. He had missed her lips. The two pecks they shared this morning were nothing compared to that kiss. Both needing it more than they had imagined at first.

"I hope you remember you promised me sex today" she whispered in his mouth as his hands found her bare thighs. She had abolished pants ever since meeting him and the loose skirt just gave his hands full access to her skin… her very exposed skin

"I see you are already prepared" he remarked as he lifted up his hand on her thigh just to feel that she was wearing no underwear again.

"I want you, Julls" she moaned as he kissed her intensely again.

"I want you too, Dimples, more than you'll ever know" he said looking tenderly to her eyes as they broke apart.

"I hope you can transform your wishes in actions" she teased smiling seductively to him.

"Trust me, I will but now we better get inside. I don't want my crew to witness my very hot actions on you" he smirked and she pecked his lips for a last kiss before both left the car.

Brooke smoothed her skirt and top and they walked inside the studio, his hand reaching for hers on their way and bringing it to his lips "I am sorry about this morning, I am making up for you in the afternoon" he winked as they entered the big doors of the building.

* * *

Time had run that morning and Brooke spent most of her time with Bianca as Julian was again entangled in meetings and conference calls. She was actually getting to know the blonde and they were having a good time together. Especially laughing at Julian's expense as Bianca shared some stories he purposefully kept from their conversations about their routines.

They had lunch in the studio restaurant and drove to Hamptons, where he was going to show the contract to the owner of the house he wanted to use as Juliet and Charles'.

"I told you it was two streets back. I still can't believe you didn't write the address" Brooke half laughed and whined as Julian was in the same street for the third time at least. He was getting frustrated and annoyed and she thought it was amusing.

"What? Can't a man be directions challenged? Also, you didn't help that much, Dimples. Remember that you guided me here in the first place. You are the New Yorker, you are the one that knows it" he ranted but she couldn't stop her laughs. He was cute being lost in the streets, looking at their names and trying to identify the houses and trees.

"There, turn left in that street" she pointed out but it was too close for him to actually turn.

"It might help if you say it before I am in the corner, you know?" he complained lightheartedly.

"Stop here" she demanded holding back her giggles and trying to sound serious "I mean it, park the car and step out"

He looked to her confused but he knew sometimes women were hard to understand so he just obeyed. She also stepped out and walking to the driver's side of the car she crashed her lips in his, kissing him in a slow pace. He answered her actions immediately moving his hands to her waist and bringing her body closer to his.

"I thought you might need it before we actually get late" she winked to him as they broke apart. "Now move to the other side, I'll drive us" she said and he brought her lips to his as soon as she was finished.

"Bossy Brooke turns me on" he confessed as they broke apart.

"So I guess I'll be giving you a lot of orders as soon as we are out of here. Now let's find this house because I am horny" Brooke demanded and he just smirked walking to the passenger's door.

In no time they were at the house and Brooke mocked him for good five minutes about how he embarrassed the whole male kind with his awful direction's sense. He could only shrug his shoulders. It had always challenged him and that's why he had a GPS in his car and in the cars he rented, remembering her they would have a device at their service if she hadn't crashed in his car. She also remembered him that they could have used Google Maps in his Blackberry if he had the address and he couldn't answer to that.

After waiting for a couple of minutes they met Jessica and Mark, the owners of the place. The young couple showed no restriction to rent the house to the movie producer. She had actually inherited the house from her grandmother and they didn't really use it. They actually were thinking about just selling it as they owned their own just two streets down.

Julian explained they would need the house for about four months and the contract wouldn't allow them to sell it for the next six months, which was the contract duration.

Jessica didn't object. They were planning in selling the house for two years and had never really contacted any realtor. It was just an idea they never gave much thought.

All while the three talked about business Brooke looked around the house and was enchanted by everything. The house was actually old, though the front looked newer. There were a lot of frames hanging on the walls and some over the furniture and she could even recognize Jessica as a child in some of them as the young redhead hadn't changed that much.

The couple in front of her also caught her attention. They weren't much older than she and Julian and they seemed to be absolutely in love with each other. The way they exchanged looks, the way his hand never left hers during their conversation or the little tour they just had in the first story of the house. There was a picture of their wedding in one of the side tables in the living room and when they walked by it, both Mark and Jessica looked tenderly to the picture and exchanged a loving look.

Julian had also caught the couples' actions but mainly Brooke's. He could see how she was mesmerized by the house and actually touched by the couple that was now leading them upstairs. He had the three of them going ahead of him, his hand holding Brooke's, as they walked. His thoughts drifted to the brunette and for some minutes he wasn't really paying attention at what the couple was saying. Something about the furniture which really didn't matter as they were getting new furniture anyway.

What mattered was how Brooke loved that house. It was all written in her face as she listened carefully to all stories Jessica told, especially the ones that involved her grandmother and grandfather. The young owner actually said she didn't like to visit the house because it remembered her too much of her gone grandparents and she missed them too much. She told them stories about her childhood in that house and how she and Mark had been engaged there because her grandfather was really sick at the time and couldn't leave the house.

Julian could see that at some moments Brooke actually almost cried when Jessica was teary as well. He had only ears and eyes for the woman that captured his heart so quickly. She was just this pure girl that was touched by the love stories of two generations in the Ross family. Julian thought it was adorable and it only made him fall in love with her all over again.

"But I guess you know exactly what I am talking about" Jessica said teary to Brooke.

"Not really" the brunette answered and her own tears were threatening to fall.

"Well, I guess what I am saying is that every time I looked to my grandparents they were looking to each other just like Mr. Baker is looking to you now" Jessica explained and both Julian and Brooke were taken aback by the comment.

Julian because he had no idea he was so obvious and Brooke surprised that he held the exact same gaze that Mark held, actually even more intense and when she noticed it her heart skipped a beat.

"We are just getting to know each other" she offered looking up at the dark-haired man she knew she was developing feelings for.

"We've met not so long ago and we are in that part of the movies when the characters are getting to know each other, who they are, what they want" Brooke completed her eyes still fixed in Julian's.

"Oh, darling, trust me, that boy knows what he wants… and that's you" Jessica said walking out the bedroom they were.

Julian didn't really pay much attention to Jessica's answer. He was lost in Brooke's words. She had basically repeated what he said to her a few days ago in the roof of her company. Like him, she didn't seem to forget one word that was said between the two of them and his heart raced in his chest.

He didn't care that Jessica saw through his facade, that his supposed mask wasn't as covering as he first imagined for a stranger quickly caught him on it. He was wondering what Brooke thought about it all as they followed Jessica and Mark to the next bedroom.

He couldn't resist the caring gaze that Brooke held and before she entered the bedroom he pulled her to a kiss in the hallway "You look too beautiful for me to resist" he said as they broke apart and finally entered the room.

Brooke smiled softly to him and turned her attention to Jessica. They were now in the master bedroom that belonged to her grandparents.

A few more touching stories were told and they finally moved to the backyard, which was huge and filled with trees and flowers. There was also a huge pool even though not so far ahead it was the beach.

"It is a beautiful garden, Jessica" Brooke complimented.

"Yeah, that's actually why we keep a gardener, the lady you met the other day. She comes thrice by week to take care of it" she explained.

"Is she here today?" Julian asked.

"Actually we asked her to come tomorrow as you were coming today" Jessica added.

"Well, so I guess we have a deal. When can I ask the crew to come and start redecorating it?" he asked.

"We are sending someone to get our personal belongings tomorrow, I guess by Monday everything will be ready" Mark explained.

"It sounds perfect" Julian said shaking hands with the blonde man.

"Well, we actually have to leave now, but you guys can explore the garden and check the beach if you want. I'll send the keys to your studio tomorrow" the man completed and Julian nodded.

They bid their byes and Jessica and Mark went inside to lock the house and left.

"So what do you think?" Julian asked as Brooke admired the view.

"It is beautiful" she smiled softly.

"Let's take a look at this garden" he stretched his hand and she happily accepted. The place was indeed beautiful and well maintained. They passed a few short trees to find an open area, with a clean view of the horizon, over the ocean to where the Sun was heading.

"I always enjoyed sunsets more than sunrises" Brooke added though the sunset was a few hours away.

"And why is that, Brooke Davis?" he asked.

"I only watched the sunrises when I was coming from parties at high school and I am not a fan of waking up too early" she confessed chuckling softly.

"I prefer the quietness of sunrises; especially on Cali" he added "Would you wait for me here? I have to take something I forgot in the car" he asked and she nodded not really understanding what he had forgotten, especially because he didn't put anything in the car in the first place.

"Look, there is a swing over there, why don't you wait for me there" he pointed to the wooden swing just some steps ahead of them.

"Okay" she said pecking his lips and letting him go.

He was soon back holding some sort of blanket in his hand and finding her slowly swinging looking at the ocean.

"Hey" he said breaking her gaze from the wide sea.

"I like the view here. It is peaceful and absolutely beautiful" she remarked as he stood in front of her.

"You look beautiful against the sunlight, Dimples" he said and leaned down to kiss her intensely. She stood up, not breaking up the kiss, to feel him fully. The kiss wasn't too fast but his grip on her waist and lips was strong and led her to softly moan under his touch.

"Let's see the beach, B. Davis" he said as they broke apart sliding his free hand to her waist as they walked.

The cool breeze blew over them as they approached the shore, the trees getting behind them. As soon as they reached the sand she leaned down and kicked off her sandals

"I really loved this house" she said after they stopped and stood watching the waves in the sea "I am thinking about making an offer after the movie is shot" she confessed looking up to him.

"I am sure you will bring the happiness that is missing since Lea and Anthony left" he added, kissing her forehead. He placed the blanket in the sand, sitting over it and tapping the spot by his side for her to join him.

"They had a beautiful love story. I wish I actually had one of these to tell my children one day, but I guess my parents arranged marriage doesn't really fit the description" she bitterly said the last part.

"You could tell them your own story" he suggested bringing her closer to him, wrapping his left arm around her waist.

"Yeah… if I ever actually have one" she vaguely answered.

"Of course you will, Brooke. You are the most amazing woman I ever met. I am sure someone will show up and give you all the love you deserve"

"I am not so sure" she breathed out.

"But I am" he reassured her leaning down to kiss her tenderly "Because you are too easy to love, Brooklyn" he completed looking straight to her.

She looked at his brown eyes and got lost in them as she often did. The truth in his words was confirmed in his sweet eyes. The admiration, the veneration, the affection was evident in the caring and even loving gaze he held.

"So love me, Julian, just for today, pretend you love. Just for today give me what you are so sure I will have someday and maybe I'll believe" she asked softly. Her voice raspier than usual and actually cracking up a bit.

"Someday, he will look into your beautiful eyes and losing himself in their beauty and innocence, he will hold you close to his body feeling every cell of his body craving for yours" Julian said as he bent on his knees in front of her and slowly lied both of their bodies over the blanket.

"He will feel his heart beating as if it was going to jump out of his chest and he will know that it only beats because of you" he continued bringing her hand and placing it over his heart that was beating frenetically.

"Feeling the air vanishing from his chest he will kiss you, because you will be the air he breathes" he closed completely the gap between them, softly and slowly kissing her. The kiss was long and full of passion and caused goose bumps to erupt in both of their bodies until they broke apart for air.

"And when he won't be able to hold it anymore, he will simply make love to you, mesmerized by your beauty, enchanted by your soul" he said as his hands reached for the hem of her top, sliding it up her chest and taking it away.

As soon as it uncovered her face he kissed her again, more eager than before as his hands reached for her bra, unhooking it.

He stood up with each of his legs by his side, getting rid of his shirt and wife beater and then his belt, pants and boxers, standing completely naked in front of her.

"Love me, Julian" she whispered.

He wasted no time peeling her skirt down in her legs to find her complete nude creamy body waiting for his.

He lied down again, carefully pressing his body over her petite form and hunting her mouth with his. Soon after it, his mouth found its way to her jaw line, then her neck and finally her chest. He licked her cleavage while his hands possessed each of her voluptuous breasts.

She moaned under his magic touch. His grip wasn't too strong or loose but steady. Her hands found his head and fiercely ran through his hair. Julian nuzzled his mouth deep, rubbing his face back and forth, caressing her breasts with his stubble. Brooke felt shivers running in her body at his touch in her skin.

His touch was gentle but still filled of arousal. Trailing up her body with his tongue, he met her mouth again, as his erection rubbed her thighs. She could feel he was already iron hard and her center creamed in anticipation. She rubbed herself against him the best she could. Her breasts against his chest and her center against his stomach.

They didn't say anything to each other. They were lost in their actions and they didn't need to say a word because it felt like music. Like an old music they both knew all the chords and lyrics. An old music that brought joy to their hearts and made them beat in sync. Their rhythm was still in a slow pace as they explored each other's bodies with their hands while their lips remaining joined.

Julian then moved his body up so the broad head of his member was now rubbing the dew entry of her folds. The moment she felt it she opened up her eyes to found his already open ones looking straight to hers. She opened her mouth ajar as she felt he slowly sliding down touching now the very entrance of her core, her lower body trembling for the moment that was about to come.

"Condom" he said moving to reach for his wallet in his pants' pocket.

"No, pill" she answered bringing him back to her.

He rubbed himself around her entry a few more times and when he saw her finally closing her eyes again he knew she was ready to receive his length in her tight walls. Keeping his moves at low pace he slid his erection inside of her looking at her eyes fluttering open and close as he went deeper.

She moaned loudly as her body started to get used to his hard member. She spread her legs and he entered his full length in her with one quick movement leading her to open her eyes and raise her upper body in pleasure and a bit of pain, feeling him fill her entirely. He wasn't too big or small to her body. It was the perfect length to her.

The moment their bodies finally joined in the most deep and intense connection, Brooke felt butterflies mixed with arousal and pleasure. Her body winced and trembled and she had goose bumps all over her skin. Her heart raced even faster in her chest and she thought she would faint. Julian felt the same way. He was barely able to control his moves in her. It was like a mystic experience.

Julian leaned down to kiss her again all while thrusting in and out her perfect body. They quickly found a rhythm that was just too good and was leading the two of them to the edge. Julian let go of her mouth and buried his head in her hair, breathing her in "I love your smell" he muttered close to her ear. He moved back to her mouth "I love your lips" he whispered before their lips crashed for another long kiss. "I love your body" he completed as his hands traveled her breasts, flat belly, reaching her thighs and then her ass, speeding up a bit his moves.

Her body jerked as she danced erotically against his member, building up more desire and need. The ministrations of his body in hers intensified and moving their hips he hit a point that made her cried out "Oh Julian, there, harder Baby"

He did as he was said and he felt her drenching on his member and he knew her orgasm was close. He could fell her body pulsating under his and it only increased his arousal. Sliding himself in an out, faster and faster, he felt her nails clutching in his back. She let out a long cry followed by many short ones and finally came as she yelled "Julian, oh god, Julian, oh Baby"

He decreased his pace to give her time to recover her breath and to come back from her high. He softly brushed the hair sticking in her wet face and gave many pecks in her cheeks, forehead, lips and in the tip of her nose. Feeling like she had recovered he sped up his thrusts and soon was ready for her as well hearing her aroused moans.

"Look at me, Honey" he breathed out as he was about to hit his own climax.

"Come to me, Baby" she whispered sweetly and he closed his eyes and moaning he finally reached his own orgasm calling her name "Oh, Brooklyn, ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, Brooklyn"

* * *

_AN: Surprise!!!!!_

_I found some time to review this chapter in the craziness of my mother's house during Christmas time :)_

_There isn't a lot to say, except that I love this chapter. I hope a lot more reviews for updating it again and for finally getting them to make love =P  
_

_Thanks to Kayla, Sab, Syrine.B, Artemi and kaos2405 for reviewing last chapter._

_Have a happy New Year! See ya next year!_

_Babi  
_


	18. Julian & Brooke: Juke Part II

**Lying Helpless in Her Arms**

**Chapter 17 - Juke – Part Two

* * *

**

They lied in the beach and watched until the sunset came. The feeling of being there was impossible to describe to both of them. There was pleasure, arousal, happiness, desire and fullness.

"It was worth every second of the wait and teasing" she said as she tossed her head in his chest looking for her spot.

"You were worth every minute I lived until this moment" he muttered on her hair.

"You are released of the role now, Julls. By the way your impersonation was perfect" she tilted her head up to see him.

"Brooke…" he started looking deep in her eyes "I can't control how my body answers to you. You made me feel it" he completed and she didn't know if he was talking only about his body reactions or also his feelings.

Was it possible to pretend to love someone to that extent? Was all that feelings and looks just a lie? She couldn't believe it but what other explanation was left?

She had never felt so loved before. The way he touched her body and explored it, knowing where to touch and when to touch. The way he kissed her while he built their arousal and then how he hungrily attacked her lips once he was inside of her. The way he paid attention to her every need and kept it about something more than sex.

Was it because she asked? Was it because she needed to know if she wasn't giving up too young on finding a man to spend her life? Lea and Anthony, Jessica's grandparents, only got married at age twenty five when most of couples used to meet and marry before twenty years old.

He caressed her body as she rested in his arms. Her body was flawless. Her legs, her breasts, her stomach… touching her flat stomach he remembered of her words the other day. He still didn't know if she was pregnant or not.

He kept his moves in her belly wondering how it would be if she was pregnant. For someone like Brooke, it only made sense she allowed herself to be with him because she was settling down for a baby. He didn't need her to explain how she wasn't this woman that accepted to have this fling with him. He knew she wasn't. He knew she hadn't slept with that list of men he found out in the internet because Brooke was hurt and pure. Someone as hurt as she was wouldn't risk to be more hurt by any random man.

Then the thought invaded his head and he couldn't stop it. What if she was pregnant with his baby? No, he didn't think she was in fact carrying his child, but what it would be if she carried his baby someday?

The first thought in his head was that Brooke was the only woman he ever met that he would trust to have his babies. She was the only one he could see being as perfect as Isabella was to her kids. He looked in her eyes and saw the babies she would have. He could picture her in his mind holding a newborn. Showing her offspring how caring, loving and special Brooke Davis was. He knew she would give her whole attention, love and time for this baby. There wasn't anyone more motherly than Brooklyn.

"Are you pregnant?" he asked bluntly.

"What? Why? No!!!! Where this idea came from?" she retorted shocked. Had he had some power that actually allowed him to read her thoughts?

"The other day you said that I would change when the right woman came and I asked you if you were going to change when the right guy came and you answered that you would when the baby came"

"Oh that… No I am not pregnant. I've been on pill for longer than I remember but not exactly to prevent kids" she explained while her lips curved, not into a smile, but in resignation. "I have a disease and I need to control it to avoid bigger issues. It causes some fertility issues so I am not even sure if I will ever be able to get pregnant" she confessed and Julian's heart just broke inside of him. It couldn't be truth. Brooke deserved everything and it was written all over her face that she wanted to have a baby more than anything else in her life. It wasn't fair. It was torturing and mean.

While Julian's heart sunk about it Brooke contemplated what she had just shared with him. That was something that nobody knew but she wanted to share it with him. She wanted him to know everything about her so she would tell the whole story to him. There was no point to hide it from Julian. Maybe he had been worried about the other day they had sex, though she clearly remembered they used protection. She wanted to ensure him there was no chance for her to get pregnant but more than that she wanted to share her burdens with him. She knew she could trust Julian with her life and she somewhat wanted to know what his opinion would be about the decision she had taken "I am going to adopt a baby".

"Really?" was the only word he could utter. To say it was unexpected was an understatement. Was Brooke this hurt that she really thought she wouldn't have the chance to have a family by herself? If she wanted a child it proved him she wanted the family but why not the man and a pregnancy?

"Yeah…" she whispered. That also wasn't the answer she expected from him. He sounded like he didn't believe in her. Like he didn't believe she was actually doing it and like he didn't believe she was capable of doing it. It hurt because one of the few people she expected to understand her was the no longer stranger with her now. It was the man that was holding her after they had shared something so deep and intense just some minutes ago. She refused to call it just sex but she couldn't call it love either.

He could feel her tensing under his grip and he realized he actually didn't answer her properly.

"I think you will make a great mom, Brooke. This kid will be lucky to have you" he quickly added and he could feel her relaxing in his arms.

"You think so?" she asked insecure.

"I know so… But why won't you try to have your own baby? If I understand it right, you may have problems as much as you may not" And that question was what led his lack of reaction before. Why was she thinking about adoption instead of getting a family? She had just asked him to make love to her, to make her believe she would find the guy. Had she really gave up in something that she clearly still wanted?

"It is complicated, Julian" she simply said.

"Brooke, you deserve the dreaming family. You deserve to have four kids, all with your dimpled smile and a man that worships you. And I am sure the right person will come out and you will raise a beautiful family in North Carolina" he assured.

"How can you be so sure? You know nothing about my life. You know nothing of what happened to me" she retorted.

"But I know who you are. I know how great and amazing and extraordinaire you are and I know if you let someone else see it as well, he will fall in love with you. And in the moment you let it happen, what you are expecting will happen and because God wouldn't do it to you. I can see right in your face how much you want the kids. I am sure you will have no problem getting pregnant" he offered but she didn't budge.

"I was hurt before, I am sure it will happen again" her defensive voice was just above a whisper "And planning a baby… planning to get pregnant… I don't want to keep my hopes up. It will hurt me again… it will be the biggest pain and I am sure from this I won't recover" from defensive and low her voice went to cracking and hurt and Julian could see how hard it was for her.

"Why don't you go to a doctor? When was the last time they evaluated your condition?" he was concerned but mainly he wanted her to have hope. He wanted her to have everything she dreamed of.

"I doesn't matter Julian. It is not like I am married or engaged or in a relationship. Why would I go there to get bad news when I have enough in my life? I don't want to hurt anymore. I don't want to live in pain. This baby is the easy way and for the first time I am going to take the easy way because I need to avoid the pain" her tone was louder and she was almost crying. It was difficult for her to face all her demons like that. To face that she didn't have anybody and that she wouldn't have the baby that she always dreamed the way that she planned. Why bother to know how much the disease progressed or not if the father would never appear? She stopped torturing herself like that a long time ago. There would be no pregnancy and no father.

"When were you hurt? By someone in high school as I said the other day?" he challenged. He didn't want to sound like that but he couldn't let Brooke give her life and dreams up because of a jerk that he really wanted to meet and kick his ass. But he needed to pressure Brooke a bit now. He needed to take her to the edge to show her that heartbreaks happen all the time, to all people, but they don't give up. At least not for good like Brooke did.

"It was the only time I ever gave my heart to someone and he broke it. He cheated on me with my best friend" her voice cracked again as she remembered the pain that followed her so many years. This conversation hurt a lot but she felt like she needed to have it. She wanted to have everything she could with Julian because she knew what she really wanted she wouldn't have.

"It is high school, Brooke. Everybody has their heart broken in high school. You may think you are the exception but cheating, and even with your best friend, happens all the time because we are all inconsequent in high school" he reasoned and he couldn't believe that that was actually stealing her dream.

"So were you broken or inconsequent?" she retorted "Because it seems like that's what all teenagers do"

"And it is. And no, I wasn't any of them because I was recluse. I was a mathlete, not what you would call popular and I didn't want my heart to be broken, so I didn't put it in the line"

"So you were the coward I was before I gave my heart to that boy. You have no right to judge my choices because you hadn't put yourself there. Actually correct me if I am wrong, you still haven't put yet" she snapped.

"I did" he admitted "For once I did".

"And how it turned out? Is that why you keep hiding behind the Casanova mask?" she queried getting really mad about his judgment.

"It was the best feeling I ever felt and if I knew that it was indeed this good, I would have tried before, in two other times I actually had a chance" he confessed detaching his body of her.

"What are you doing? Where are you going?" she asked surprised.

"I am not ready yet to have this conversation. I am still trying to understand what happened. But she… she isn't available" he concluded. That was too much and too fast and his head span and his heart sunk. He wouldn't lie to her and pretend he had fall in love with someone else but he couldn't confess his love right now. Not when she was assuring him she would never give her heart to anyone because she doesn't want to be hurt again.

"Are you using me as a rebound?" she automatically asked but regretted the words as soon as they left her mouth. She should know better and she quickly corrected herself "That's not what I mean"

"So what is it? What else do I have to do to prove you this is real, Brooklyn? Because I honestly don't know what else to do prove that this is how I feel about you!" he said frustrated but mainly hurt "Let's go back to the city. I have some calls to make and also talk to you about the movie".

"I am sorry, Julian. That's not what I mean. I don't know why I asked you this" she desperately tried to convince him. She didn't doubt him anymore it was just out of habit.

"It is okay. I am sorry if I invaded your life. Unlike you said, I am not judging you, Brooke. In fact I was just trying to convince you of what is crystal clear. Any man, looking for someone to settle down would find in you more than he ever dreamed and just because you were really hurt in high school it doesn't mean you will be hurt again. But it is your life and you know what is best for you" he explained as he got his pants and shirt and started to dress up himself.

"Thanks for today" she said softly.

"Yeah, you too" he replied with a small smile getting the blanket and folding it "I'll wait for you to dress in the car" he kissed her hair and walked away. She had hurt him with her words and he didn't want to fight with her or to show his pain. He didn't want her to be hurt or guilty about him even if he was hurt.

She only nodded as she started to collect her clothes, thinking about what he had just said. It actually made sense. Surely no one could measure the pain she felt in high school but it was also the age when nobody knew better. When everyone made so many mistakes and learned with them. He was right. If only her heart would agree. If only she was brave enough to look for a doctor and evaluate her condition. She had done it for the last time when she had the baby scare in high school and she had hidden it from everybody ever since.

* * *

"What about dinner at that Italian place? It isn't somewhere we need reservations. People in Manhattan are not very interested in places like that" she suggested and he drove them back to New York

"Okay. I'll call Rita to get my urgent messages and then head home" he suggested with a soft voice. He wasn't mad or disappointed at her. It just hurt that she couldn't see through all his actions that he cared a lot about her. He didn't expect her to know he was falling for her because he had only now come to terms with it but he expected her to at least acknowledge what he had verbalized to many times: he liked her, she was special for him, she was the only woman in his life now.

"I guess we are getting too serious. I miss you provoking me and the lighthearted arguments we had just yesterday. I don't know why things had changed and we only have tomorrow before I leave and I don't want to discuss my life or your life and feelings. You invited me to one last ride, Julian and that was what I had said yes to." she honestly offered.

It was very difficult for her to discuss her life and decisions and while it was easy to open up to him, it was difficult to accept his opinion because she knew he was right. But what made it worse was her huge fear of disappointing him. She truly believed in everything he said about her and how he felt about her because she had seen it through his actions and eyes. She didn't want to tarnish the perfect image he had of her because no one had ever admired her like he did.

"Sure" he offered "Let's enjoy our last day together". Disappointment couldn't even start describing what Julian felt as she uttered those words. He loved the lighthearted relationship they had. He loved to provoke and flirt with her but he wanted more. He knew he shouldn't want more than they had agreed but he couldn't help. He finally understood what people said by 'you can't help who you fall in love with'. He had always thought it was just some stupid saying that people used to justify their horrible choices. He had met so many women that were hurt and used by the lowest guys he heard about and they all said this same saying.

At the time it sounded insane to him. He had always thought love was a decision to a certain extent. Infatuation couldn't be controlled but love was much greater and more serious and until that day he thought anyone was able to start and stop loving as their wish. He had no idea of how wrong he was as the words left her mouth.

"I know I promised you wouldn't work this week but as you will be settling to your new house next week and I am releasing the crew in the following, I need to discuss some details with you before you go away" he explained as they sat in the table in the restaurant.

"Sure. What's up?" she asked tasting her wine that had just been poured in her glass.

"I want to start shooting as soon as possible and while I won't need the fashion line until the end of the movie, when the fashion show will actually take place, I need the costumes for the main characters done soon".

"What soon would be?" she questioned.

"Three weeks".

"That's sort of short notice. How many pieces are we talking about?"

"I don't know yet. It would really help if you read the book to capture each of the characters style. We are going to be as faithful as possible to what the author showed in her writing. Obviously as the costumes' designer you have some freedom to actually make suggestions you think are pertinent but keep in mind we are not willing to change them too much" he clarified.

"It sounds good".

"So what about we seat down tomorrow and we talk of how many pieces and what you have in mind for this first part. For the fashion show you will have more creative freedom because the author didn't provided as much details to the actual designs, it was more about the concept that also reflects a lot about the moment Juliet is living".

"Whenever you want, remember I will be at your services the whole day tomorrow" she smiled rubbing her thumb on his hand.

"What about now? Are you at my services now?" he asked as he shivered by her touch.

"No, tomorrow I will be at your services. Now, I am simply and totally yours" she seductively answered rubbing her bare foot in his thighs.

"I'll need to do some calls but we will be at your house soon" he explained and she only whispered okay, leaning back in her chair.

While they waited for the waiter to bring their food he had called the studio and made the calls he had to do. All the time he was talking she was caressing his body somehow. Rubbing her legs in his, moving to the chair closer to him to actually rub his growing erection. All while she kept a sweet and innocent smile in her face that was driving him crazy. He had barely been able to talk to his boss and feeling like he was starting to sound incoherent he apologized and said he would call him the first thing in the morning.

As soon as he ended the call Brooke brought his lips to hers and didn't really care to their hot PDA in the middle of the restaurant.

Their food arrived and she decided to move back to her seat and eat her pasta, watching him recover his normal breath.

As soon as they walked out the restaurant and made it to her car their hands and mouths found one another's.

"Control your instincts, Movie Boy. I don't want the papz to find out about us" she muttered as he attacked her neck.

"I can't control myself around you" he confessed cupping both of her breasts on his hands.

"Drive, Julls, we are just ten minutes away from my apartment. Drive us there and I will drive you crazy" she whispered in his ear and he quickly turned the engine on and headed to her apartment.

* * *

Brooke had provoked him all their ride. Kissing his neck and ear, moving her hands to the bulge in his pants, she couldn't wait until she would be his again.

Julian entered her parking lot, parking the car the best he could while she sucked his earlobe. As soon as the car stopped she stepped out. Resting her arms in the window she looked to him with a mischievous smile "Come in and take me, Julls" she said walking away to the elevator.

He reached for her cupping her body in his from the behind kissing the back of her neck and possessing both of breasts with his hands. As soon as they entered the elevator he pressed her against the wall kissing her wildly. He was still attacking her lips when the ding bell let them know the elevator was stopping, probably to get more people.

She moved from under his grip and stood in front of him, to hide his tight pants. Two women entered the elevator nodding their heads slightly to a distracted Brooke and a totally aroused Julian. Brooke moved closer to him and let her butt softly rub his bulge.

As soon as the ladies walked out Julian turned her around and kissed her hungrily. He needed her. He needed to feel himself inside of her again and he couldn't wait one more second.

"There is a camera" Brooke breathed out as he left her mouth and moved his lips to her neck.

"I want you Brooke" he ignored her warn and lifted her body against his. They had purposefully let all their stuff in her car and had their both hands free. She quickly answered to his moves and wrapped her legs around his waist.

In some seconds they finally heard the ding showing they were in the penthouse. He moved them inside her apartment nearly dropping the pictures on the side table of the the small hall. He made their way to her bedroom and laid her in the bed, quickly buttoning off his shirt while she also got rid of her clothes.

As soon as they were completely naked their bodies crashed together and this time she was over him. The room was absolutely dark so there was only touching and caressing, murmuring and listening, moaning and groaning, scenting and tasting, licking and biting. They couldn't control themselves. She attacked his body under her as if he was going to disappear in some seconds. She had to feel everything she could before he was gone.

She positioned her entrance over the tip of his erection and swinging her hips she danced, rubbing his member with her body. Julian cupped both of her breasts and caressed them, raising his upper body and actually reaching for her nipple with his lips. Brooke felt her arousal building and not waiting any other second she sat in his hard length.

Julian had almost released at this single movement just like when he had first entered her body one week ago. She was already wet and mounting on him she seemed even tighter. Julian looked down to see his member disappearing and appearing in her petite body. Their bodies' joint was just where a thin ray of the lights outside lighten her bed. Brooke felt he filling her and pressing her walls she had to arch back otherwise she would hit the climax in that moment.

She lowered her moves but put more strength in the thrusts feeling like he was going to rip her, though she was the one controlling it. Julian moved his eyes from their connected bodies to her breasts that were bouncing according to her ministrations. He could only see their moving shadows as the room was dark but it was still arousing. He couldn't resist but sit in the bed as well bringing his hands and lips to her beautiful and broad nipples.

No longer after it he needed to taste her lips. He couldn't go longer without her pink and swollen lips in his. He captured them and they moaned and groaned in each other's mouth as they both controlled the rhythm of the thrusts.

Brooke couldn't control herself. She wanted to feel Julian in every possible way so she slowly leaned over him leading him to lie in the bed again. It wasn't only about desire and fantasies. It was about time and fullness. In no time they would be apart and she wanted to make love to him in every possible way. She wanted to try everything with him because those were going to be the memories she was going to carry with her for a very long time. She wanted to give him something that she had never done to anyone.

Surely she wasn't a virgin and she had tried a lot of different things during sex when she was in high school but she wanted to make him feel special, cherished, appreciated but mainly loved. Loved in all possible ways. Slow, sweet, wild, hard. She slowly turned around, still with her core connected to his body until her back was turned to him. Julian had almost released feeling her turning around in his erection like that.

She had demanded him more self-control than he had ever used in his life. Nobody ever made his body answer that quick and intense. Sex had always been sacred to him. He never made it just because. But only now he could really feel what make love meant. It didn't matter if it was slow and gentle or fast and wild. He still felt the same at her touch. He still felt fireworks exploding in every inch of his body as he touched, kissed, smelled and made her his. _His_. He couldn't change this feeling. She was his, he wanted to have her forever because that feeling was irrevocable and unforgettable and he wanted to keep it for all his life. He needed to feel more of her. He needed to feel all of her now.

They had no idea of how connected their thoughts were. He wanted everything from her and she wanted to give everything to him. They were yet to understand the extension of what they had and how linked their souls were. Both had the need to just give and take everything from each other. Surely both had wild sex before and while arousal had led it before it wasn't the reason why they couldn't control their bodies now. They had to do it fast and to do it hard because otherwise they felt they would explode. Otherwise they felt they wouldn't feel complete. It wasn't only libidinous at all. It wasn't about having mind blowing sex. It was about not being able to control the urge both of their bodies felt for each other's. It was the feeling of never being satiated because their bodies and souls needed to reach new levels of intimacy, depth and intensity. It was love and a profound need. It was almost desperation.

The position didn't allow her to control her movements as before and he had to actually thrust in her from under her. Brooke could barely control herself now. She needed him, she needed him to go faster and harder, so she reached for both of his hands that held her hips while he thrust and pulled him towards her.

Julian immediately understood what she wanted and slowly moving to don't break the contact, he finally found himself mounted on her as she leaned in her bent knees and stretched arms.

Her raspier moans and attempts to say his name was driving him insane and he was close to lose control too. He knew he had full access to her center from this position and if he actually didn't control the speed and strength he could hurt her but she was too wet and tight for him to resist.

Julian moved one of the hands that were leaning on the bed and moved to her breast capturing and squeezing it eagerly.

"Come to me Baby" he asked as he slammed her from behind.

"I am coming, I am coming, oh Julian, oh Baby… I am coming, I am comi…" she moaned as she finally reached her orgasm, falling in her stomach, with Julian still attached to her. He couldn't wait for her to recover because he was almost there as well. Crying out her name he thrust her really hard and finally released his hot milk inside of her, falling in her back.

They rested there for some minutes, coming back from their high and regaining some strength until Brooke was actually able to turn under him and look at his eyes "That was amazing" she said as he still gasped for air.

"It was. You are amazing" he answered a few seconds later, leaning down to kiss her slowly for longer than she could remember.

"Let's take a shower?" she suggested and he only nodded kissing her once more, this time briefly "Whatever you want, Dimples" he agreed and he wanted her to simply want everything because this was how much he was willing to give her.

* * *

_AN: Hey!!! It is me again._

_First of all I am touched by the eleven reviews I got in the last chapter. You guys made me really happy, thanks a lot to Elilo; SouthernBellBrooke; Kayla; Sab; Syrine; Clarissa; sb1218; FriendlyGirl333; kaos2405; Love me some Julian and Artemi._

_So yeah, hot wild sex for Brulian.... well I love it lol. But I guess that's not the most important information in this chapter. Following the show, Brooke actually has fertility issues though she doesn't yet to which extent. Maybe if he gets a proper treatment she can get pregnant, maybe not. I already made up my mind about what it will be but I feel tempted to change my mind because I think both scenarios are just rich to write._

_Also Julian is trying to show her (unconsciously) in every possible way that he fell for her but he clearly isn't ready to talk about it yet. Would he change his mind in only one day? Well, you have to wait and see and yeah, they are separating. Remember I made a 'poll'? Well most of you preferred to see how miserable they were apart instead of jumping to January. I am happy you chose this one because I have big plans to Thanksgiving and Christmas though I do need to ask you again: how emotional do you want it to be? Lightly emotional or heavily emotional? Surely being apart will bring them some issues and Brooke will lie to him and how do you want his reaction to be? A light one or a very emotional one? I can write both ways but sometimes I tend to be overly emotional so I need you to keep me sane ;)_

_Talk to you soon and keep the reviews coming. I love it!!!!_

_-B.  
_


	19. Julian & Brooke: No Brooke

**Lying Helpless in Her Arms**

**Chapter 18 - No Brooke

* * *

**

Julian and Brooke were really tired after their two sex escapades in that afternoon-evening and they went straight from their shower to bed. Both had the best night of sleep they could remember. She felt like she belonged to his chest and he felt like he couldn't sleep without her light snoring and caressing hand in his chest.

In the next morning they woke up and he decided to spend the morning with her. He went to the hotel to shower and change into clean clothes and then to Villa to get them breakfast. Brooke used the time to finish packing her clothes. She couldn't believe she was moving back to Tree Hill in the next day.

She heard he entering the front door and when she was about to join him, her phone rang. _Haley_ appeared in her phone screen.

"Hey, Tutor Mom" she greeted her friend.

"What?" Brooke asked copying her friend's tone.

"Oh, God, Haley, that's great" Brooke exclaimed happy for her friend.

"Put my godson in the line" Brooke said with a smile plastered on her face. She was really and honestly happy for them.

"Oh, J-Luke, that will be great!!!" she answered teary listening to her godson cheerful and innocent voice.

"This and much more, little man" his godmother assured as she heard Haley asking Jamie to say bye because she needed to talk to Brooke. They said their byes and Brooke and Haley were back in conversation.

"That's going to be very good, Haley" was all Brooke managed to say.

"Well, there's the catch, Tutor Mom. I am moving back to Tree Hill. Tomorrow actually. It was supposed to be a surprised but now I guess it is only a bad joke" Brooke sighed.

"I guess our timing is just this perfect" Brooke sadly added.

"Though one of the biggest reasons was to finally be a godmother to Jamie and be close to my friends, actually I have more reasons" Brooke partially explained.

"Because Victoria is here. The craziness of the big city is here. I want some peace in my life, Haley" she breathed out frustrated and Haley could sense how tiring it was being for her friend.

"Actually I am running. Maybe, sort of but I am only running to get my dream. I am planning to adopt a baby" Brooke confessed with a small but honest smile.

"Yeah, since the last time I've visited you I knew that was what I was missing in my life" she admitted.

"Because getting a sperm donor would only complicate things. Media would find out eventually that I am pregnant and a lot of rumors would start and thanks to Angelina, adoption actually makes the opposite. It is good publicity though I am not looking for good publicity" Brooke bittersweet added.

"I know Hales, but until when am I supposed to wait for this guy to come up? I know I am not old and I know I have a long way ahead of me but that's what I want now. I want to have my family. Now, not in five years" she sighed frustrated. Why everybody judged her?

"Of course it does and if I find the right man for me along the way, it will have but I won't delay my happiness because of some testosterone" Brooke added frustrated.

"Let me see where I can start… From the papz chasing my baby down? Or maybe for Victoria trying to kill it every chance she has? Or maybe the crazy life this city leads you to live? Or maybe because I wanted my child to have a place like we had the river court and go to a small high school, without a crazy guy shooting on people" Brooke enlisted.

"Exactly. That's the sort of thing that happens only once in a lifetime in a city like Tree Hill. It already happened so I don't need to worry about it happening again for the next fifty years" Brooke reasoned.

"I know but I miss what I had there. Tree Hill was the only place where I ever had a family and I want my child to have a family in addition to me" her voice cracked. If she wasn't giving a father to her baby, the least she could do was give it great relatives like Nathan and Haley.

"And you are my family too, Haley, but I can't stay in New York" Brooke said with a mix of fear and regret in her voice which didn't escape Haley.

"I want to start my own family, I want to adopt a baby and I want to raise it the best I can. That's the whole story Haley."

"Thank you, it means a lot" Brooke breathed out relived.

"I can't really believe our timing" Brooke breathed out frustrated.

"I guess you do" Brooke weakly answered and the two friends said their goodbyes.

* * *

When Brooke came back to the kitchen, Julian had already got everything ready for them and was now on his phone as well. Seeing Brooke was back, got an automatic grin plastered on his face but seeing her red eyes it fell immediately. He excused himself to the person he was talking to and moved to where she was.

"What happened, Dimples?" he asked, his heart breaking a bit at the sight of her sad face.

"When will it be, Julls? When will all my dreams come true?" she asked and her pleading eyes showed she desperately needed the answer, a good one.

"When you finally allow yourself to be happy, Brooklyn. You have everything. You will be close to your friends and godson; you will adopt your baby and if you really allow, the guy will just be by your side through all of this." He said with a smile in his face while rubbing her cheek but inside his head he only wished he was this guy because he would make sure she would never look so sad and broken like now.

Surely he wasn't ready for the baby and it wasn't in his plans as much as a woman wasn't. But what he could say? Brooke Davis was like a hurricane. Once it passed in your life, the damage was done and you would never be the same anymore. The change was immediate.

"That's what Haley thinks as well" Brooke whispered teary.

"Because that's the truth, Honey. Anyone that you allow to know you can only come to this conclusion. The problem is you don't let a lot of people in, do you?" he asked bringing her to his arms and brushing her hair.

"I'll let the baby in" she offered knowing she was sounding pathetic.

"If that's all you can do now; then do it, Dimples, I've got your back" he kissed the top of her head.

"Did you listen to my conversation with Haley?" she asked because it was hard to believe they said the same things over and over again. She knew he hadn't. She knew there was no way he could hear what Haley said to her and it proved what she feared. Julian knew her. Surely not as much as her friend of almost ten years but he knew her.

"No. Is that the reason why are you like this? I honestly don't understand it. Every time you talk to your friend you look sad and you are moving there tomorrow. Are you sure is that what you want to do? Are you sure is that the right thing to do?" he asked softly and only hoped she had changed her mind and was now having a guilt crisis.

"I have to do it… as for Haley… it is just because some things are changing and I guess it won't be as I initially planned but things never turn out like plans, do they?" she looked up him and he knew she wanted his support.

"Of course not, Baby. And that's when you'll call me, and that's when you'll come to visit me or I'll go visit you" he offered kissing her fears away for now.

She had muttered 'Thank you' to him and they stood embraced some minutes in her kitchen. The feeling of being his arms as he said those words warmed her heart and compelled her to finally listen to what it was saying. But this time her head had won the battle against her heart though it wasn't a common occurrence ever since she met Julian.

"What about we eat? I am starving" she said as they broke apart and he knew her enough to say she was avoiding the conversation now. That was so typical of Brooke. She would open up a bit and just when he was finally getting her to show him it all, she would avoid it.

"Sure. I've got your favorites, B. Davis" he agreed with a truce smile.

"I was missing the Davis" she said pulling him to another kiss and they sat to eat their breakfast.

* * *

They spent the whole morning talking about the movie, as they agreed the day before. They didn't need to go to the studio to talk about it and they wanted to enjoy every minute of their last day together the best they could.

Brooke had been surprised when Julian said about the trips she would need to be doing to New York. It honestly hadn't crossed her mind that this wasn't Clothes over Bros. It wasn't only about her sending her sketches through internet and having her company producing them.

Julian wanted her to be totally involved in the clothes' production. She would have a crew to support her in the studio, like measuring each of the main characters and getting the clothes for them to try on but she was still needed around. Unlike a new line, where she was the only one to decide how it would like, to the movie she had to be aligned with the entire project. They would have to discuss a lot of things, budget including.

Producing the clothes included the rest of the characters wardrobes. She also had to pick up the accessories, such as purses, shoes, belts, hats and everything else and she had a budget for it and though it wasn't included in her nine hundred dollars payment, she would be responsible to control and employ the money for this.

Although it wasn't exactly what she expected, she thought she could handle it. She could discuss the concepts this afternoon and get the first approvals she was going to need to start producing the first batch of clothes due to three weeks. But what Julian said next was a stretch.

"Now about the fashion line and show" Julian said as he typed the topic in his laptop.

"That's going to be the best of all!!!" she said excitedly but the mischievous grin in his face that actually agreed with her, made her stomach flip. Maybe it wouldn't be that great.

"If everything goes as in the schedule, we are going to start working in the fashion show production in January to start shooting in mid-March" he explained.

"Wow, don't you think it is too much? I mean two months and a half. This is almost how much I take to actually organize a real fashion show" she added and the way he nodded his head to her made her finally realize it.

"Am I the one responsible for organizing it?" she asked and he could catch the fear in her voice.

"It was in the contract, Brooke" he explained quietly. It disappointed him to know that she wasn't willing to be around. He had caught some glimpses of surprise as he told her how they were supposed to work through the costumes design thing but now it was crystal clear. She didn't want to be with him and it actually hurt. A couple of hours ago he was fantasizing about being the paternal figure to her baby and now he realized that it was just this: a fantasy.

"But I have my own line fashion show to organize" she protested and he just smiled weakly to her.

"Don't worry. I'll work it around. Does it really have to be me or can I actually get someone from the company to do it? Not entirely, I would supervise it but I mean, I can delegate it to someone else, right? The contract is signed to Clothes over Bros, right?" she rambled a bit and she could see the disappointment in his eyes. As much as she tried to make it look like she had other professional commitments that wouldn't allow her to be around him for two months and a half, they both knew she was avoiding him. Unfortunately for her, Julian Baker actually got to know her in nine days. Surely not the deepest secrets of her soul but still enough to know when she was avoiding something.

"Sure" he answered and looked down to the screen of his computer where he pretended to write something to hide the pain though he was almost sure she was able to catch. He didn't only know Brooke in the process, he also learned how to let her know him and he knew she saw it by the guilty gaze she held.

"I'll be there" she informed, breaking the silence between them "You wanted someone passionate to do this. You wanted me, not my staff to do it and that's what you'll get" she confidently promised.

"You don't need to, Brooke. I know you have your own line and show to take care. The movie can get someone from your team" he offered but she didn't budge.

"I want to, Julian" she said reaching for his hand over the table "You wanted me, remember? Remember you said you didn't want anyone else? It is not fair if I just delegate it to someone else. And that's what I want too. I don't want anyone else to do it for you. I want to do it for you".

Her voice was sweet and soft and for a moment it gave him hope. For the movie it really didn't matter if it was going to be her or someone under her supervision because he knew she would make it be as perfect as if she was there. He was looking forward her company. He was looking forward having her around him for another two months and a half. Or more.

"I can work in the shooting schedule to have your scenes shoot by the time you are here to produce the show. Most of them will be during the show anyway" he suggested.

"Oh my God, I totally forgot about that" she said with her dimpled smile and he couldn't help but truly smile as well.

"That's icing the cake, Dimples, how can you forget about that?" he questioned her smirking.

"No, it is not" she smiled and moved from her seat to his lap.

"So I guess show your line is. Though I thought showing yourself would maybe, potentially, probably make you more famous, if that's even possible" he chuckled as he moved both of his hands to her waist.

"No, spending two months and a half months with you ices the cake" she leaned down and kissed him passionately and unlike she expected, she didn't feel insecure saying it.

If the situation was other she would now feel afraid of him saying that wasn't what he was planning, that they had only a five days deal. If the situation was other she wouldn't even suggest it because she knew she shouldn't suggest it. But the situation wasn't other. She wasn't kissing just anyone. She was kissing Julian Baker, the man that made her forget about all her walls and fears within only a few days.

She was sure he wanted it more than her and for now she would pretend she was okay with it. For now she would pretend that she would actually do what she really wanted to do and that was spend those months with him. She would honestly deal with this situation when January came.

Though he made her forget about her walls, they still existed and in the back of her mind a small voice said that she should keep them as higher as ever instead of pretending it would work out. But she kept listening to her heart instead of her head. A bad habit she developed ever since meeting him. The bad habit that made her so happy for a few days.

* * *

They worked in everything in their schedules and in the afternoon they went to the studio where she met her supporting crew and also defined the first pieces. She had actually suggested them to mix some famous designers in Juliet wardrobe in addition to the character's own line. The author wasn't a fashion designer so it was just natural that she had taken inspiration of collections like Dolce and Versace. Brooke could even recognize a couple of dresses described in the book from some of their old collections.

They had left the studio almost eight in the night but everything was finally decided and she would work on getting the clothes done according to their agreements. Their job for the day was finally done and Julian wanted to take a walk at Central Park and she couldn't say no to him.

"So what is it that Tree Hill has?" he shyly asked and Brooke was surprised because Julian was never shy and never made a question and looked away like now.

"What do mean?" she chuckled.

"Except for your friend, that makes you sad every time you talk to her, what does this city have? I bet mini-Brooklyn would love Fifth Avenue" he smirked looking up to her. She could swear there was a different shine as he said the last line.

"Really? And what street would mini-Julian find his ways, because I honestly don't know the 'ladies' streets in New York" she answered back quoting the word in the air.

"You love what you do, Brooke, that's what I meant" he laughed lightly. He had missed their provoking ways. Especially her wit comments.

"That's exactly what I meant as well" she smiled.

"Okay, every time you try to get away and avoid a conversation I pretend I don't see it, but this answer I'd really like to listen. Why Tree Hill?" he insisted stopping their walk.

"Oh, it means I am not as good as I think I am?" she asked with a mocked offended face.

"Brooke" he warned softly.

"Because Tree Hill is home" she finally admitted.

"I guess that's a good answer" he offered with not a very convincing smile.

"When is your flight?" he asked looking away for the second time that night.

"At noon. But I don't do farewells, Julian. Let's enjoy the night and our last breakfast tomorrow" she suggested and he only nodded.

"I am going to miss you around, Dimples" he said as they walked around the park.

"I am going to miss being around" she admitted as well with a sweet smile. And in their moment the only thought in their heads was she had to leave. Why couldn't she stay and Brooke was more tempted than ever to make a twist in her life.

* * *

"Hey, Handsome" she said still in her robe and night gown, hugging him from behind.

He turned around in her arms and was mesmerized by her beautiful smile that made him quickly forget of the work of his hands in their breakfast, moving them to her body.

"You look hot in white, Brooklyn" he said as he attacked her neck, his hands moving to the sleeves of her robe and pulling it down.

She was wearing a sexy and revealing gown that he hadn't paid much attention in the previous night as he was really sleepy when they finished their shower after having sex twice, one of which during the shower and this morning he left her under the blanket and comforter.

"And you are hot in nothing, Julls" she said as she unbuttoned his shirt kissing and licking him slowly.

They wasted no time getting rid of their clothes, their bodies separated by nothing but their growing sweating. His mouth reached for her breast and he sucked it hardly as he moved his hand to the other.

"I am hungry of you, Dimples" he said as he licked and sucked her leaving his marks over her chest.

"Have me for breakfast, Julian" she murmured as she felt his fingers rubbing her center.

He didn't think twice before he let go of her "Do you have ice cream?" he asked and she nodded pointing to the fridge. He was barely holding his arousal and thirty seconds later he was back with the ice cream.

"I want you, Brooklyn, I want you so bad" he moaned as he saw her fingers rubbing her folds and moaning softly.

"Take me. Do whatever you want with me, Julls" she breathed out looking up to him.

Brooke jumped at the contact of the cold ice cream on her belly. "It is too cold Baby" she moaned in a mix of pain and pleasure and immediately his tongue licked her toned midsection.

All while he licked her, one of his hands was caressing her breast and the other was in her clit. Brooke tossed under his touch and she knew she wouldn't take a lot of more of that. This was their third time in less than twenty four hours and she knew she wouldn't be as controlling as before.

Julian finished with her belly and trembling in anticipation he got a full spoon of ice cream and moved it to her center.

As soon as Brooke felt the icing cream on her clit she jumped and nearly hit him with her knees. But Julian was prepared and protected himself. Bringing the ice cream back to her center, he spread a bit along her folds and quickly replaced the spoon with his hot tongue. Brooke contorted at his touch and moaned and called his name continuously. The hot and cold. The uncontrollable and insatiable sensations she felt now.

"Come to me, Baby, I want to savor your cream. That's the best taste I ever savored. Come to me, let me eat it all" he asked and moving his tongue even more roughly and hard in her clit she quickly released.

"That's delicious, Brooklyn, you are perfect" he said as he licked her wet folds "But I want more".

He climbed on the table as well and he was now over her. He took the carton and got one more spoon of ice cream over each of her breasts. He pulled her body a bit up in the table as he penetrated her again while he licked and ate the dessert spread on her chest.

Brooke couldn't control her moves or anything. She only moaned and tossed under him, feeling a pleasure like she never did before. His hands found her limp ones and moved them over her head. He raised his upper body and increased the speed and the strength of his thrusts on her.

"You are so fucking delicious, Brooklyn. Your are so tight! It is so amazing that I want to fuck it forever" he exclaimed as he slammed his erection in her, always being careful to do not hurt the woman he loved more by the second. When she used such words with him the night before she had encouraged him to do the same but now that he actually used them it didn't feel right just like it hadn't felt right for her when she used them with him last night. He would never just fuck Brooke. Actually that was anything but fucking and he was sure that was the last time she would hear him saying those words. He just hoped it wouldn't be the last time they made love.

"Oh, Julian, Baby, ahhh, ohhhh" she answered, feeling multiple orgasms exploding in her core as she trembled hard under his strong form.

Julian felt even more aroused as he seen her pleasured face, calling out his name and her body trembling uncontrollably.

"Look at the Honey, look at me" he demanded and she did the best she could to actually keep her eyes open looking at him.

"Say me what you feel, say it to me" he gasped feeling that he was almost coming as well.

"You… strong… big… good… awww…. Ahhh… Julian…" she moaned.

"Say it, Baby, say it" he insisted because he had seen it in her eyes as soon as she opened them.

"Love…. love…. you" she exclaimed as she reached the peak of her climax and the moment he heard it he released in her "I love you, Brooklyn… I… oooohhh… Love you" he uttered and his body just fell over hers.

There he stood, lying helpless in her arms. And no matter how much he tried to reason and to explain it was impossible to describe what he actually felt. He was on high but it wasn't because of the orgasm he just reached. It wasn't because of the fluids they just exchanged but because of the words they said to each other. He was in love with her and while he knew it wasn't exactly love yet, it was a huge step in its direction and he could say she was feeling exactly like him. But in a very Julian and Brooke fashion, they handled their feelings and their confessions very differently. But he wouldn't learn that now. He wouldn't learn it in the easy way because this was Brooke Davis after all. And nothing with Brooke was easy, especially her.

* * *

The End

_

* * *

AN: It feels like a journey had finished and though this story is far from done, the first volume, called JULIAN & BROOKE is. This first part of the story is about them knowing each other, in the ordinary and extraordinary meaning of the word. It is also about how they they fell for each other._

_The next volumes will be smaller than this one (eighteen chapters). Probably 5-6 chapters and it will be named No Julian and No Brooke which corresponds to the time they spent apart, the revelation of some lies and their attempt to let those things behind them. Especially the abandonment feeling he will get. Thanks for giving me your opinions about how you want this next volume to be and by a big lead, you preferred it to be heavily emotional (especially when they confront their feelings, lies and prospects)._

_Now can I say how happy and grateful I am for all you guys that read this story and especially the ones that review it? You make me so happy, you make me smile. You can know for sure someone is happy because of you._

_So I want to thank to Sab, Kayla, Artemi, Syrine, kaos2405, CheeryGirl, Elilo, Mary OTH, Y0uNMcK33, SouthernBellBrooke and vampiregurl. You guys definitely make my days and I hope you keep doing and I invite others to do so too ;)_

_Talk to you soon._

_Barbara_


	20. No Julian & No Brooke: No Brooke Davis

**Lying Helpless in Her Arms**

**Volume II – No Julian & No Brooke**

**Chapter 19 - No Brooke Davis

* * *

**

He needed to come there again. Everywhere he looked he saw her. He couldn't escape her presence. It was like he was smelling her intoxicating smell; hearing her sexy voice; seeing her beautiful face and dimpled smile. He couldn't forget her. But it was even more evident there. This place exhaled her. Especially the outside.

It had been three days since he saw Brooke for the last time helping her with her endless luggage and it didn't get any easier as time passed.

* * *

"_Do you have clothes in all closets of this apartment?" Julian asked light heartened as he collected maybe the eighth or ninth suitcase._

"_I am a clothes designer. It is part of the job description to own a lot of clothes" she chuckled "But guess what, this one was the last" she smiled broadly showing her unique dimples._

"_Well at least your doorman is taking them from the elevator to the cab" Julian pressed the elevator button and stepped out of it._

"_Don't be such a whiny. Why do you have those strong arms for?" she teased expecting his reaction which obviously was what she had hoped for._

"_Holding you. I guess my arms never had anything better and more pleasuring to do other than hold you" he sappily offered wrapping his arms around her and pulling her for a long and slow kiss._

"_I still feel the ice cream" she muttered in his mouth and teasing his bottom lip to give her access to deepen the kiss. Julian just complied; he wouldn't ever think about denying her a passionate kiss._

"_I guess I won't ever forget your taste, Dimples" he said as their lips broke apart but not their foreheads._

_They stood there for some minutes, with their eyes locked. Her hands holding the back of his neck for her life and his hands loosely resting on her waist. They didn't say anything, they just looked in the eye and the love that could be seen spoke volumes. They knew none of their confessions were in the spur of the moment. They knew they corresponded to their truly feelings. There was no denial anymore and they weren't trying to deny it. They just didn't know what to do with their feelings.  
_

"_Brooklyn…" Julian whispered but before he could continue she shut him up with a kiss. But this kiss was nothing like the two they just shared. This one was almost painful. This one was melancholic and filled with silent wishes of change. There was nothing both Brooke and Julian wanted more them to change who they were. There was nothing they wanted __more__ than for that kiss to be just a seal of a brief separation. But they both knew it was goodbye._

_Brooke slid her hands to his shoulders. Their lips barely touched in a slow and bittersweet dance. It was their last tango and all the drama and pain it was supposed to be involved in the Latin dance was there. And so the lack of hope to a happy ending._

_Julian kept his eyes closed even after they broke the contact of their mouths. He felt it when one her hands abandoned his shoulder and probably reached for the elevator button behind him soon resuming its position back in his body. There were no words to be said. There were no pleading requests to prevent the unavoidable and imminent separation._

_Brooke took a step backwards, breaking the contact of their foreheads but Julian refused to open his eyes. He didn't want to replace the last picture of her in his head. Her full dimpled smile and the affection in her eyes._

_Sooner than he ever wanted but still longer than it ever took the elevator dinged behind him leading him to open his eyes and wake up from his dream where she would never leave but still he didn't look at her. As soon as his eyelids fluttered open his chocolate irises were already looking down to the wall by his side._

_The tears already shimmered in her eyes but she refused to let them fall. She took her purse from the nearby side table and moving to the opposite side of where his eyes were looking she walked past his right side not before cupping his left cheek and placing a sweet and fast kiss in the other one, slightly brushing the corner of his mouth. And with that she was gone._

* * *

Julian had stood in front of her penthouse elevator for more minutes than hecould count. Both had pretended they never said what they revealed the last time they had sex. There was only silence. Not speaking was comfortable but not listening was torturing. Both of them had doubts, questions and especially, they were afraid.

But now, a bit over seventy-tree hours and three cold nights later he just missed her. Plainly and simply missing her. He missed everything about her and even this place wasn't the same if she wasn't there.

Every single day he had been to Villa's. And his favorite cafe in New York was now just lifeless. There wasn't anything cozy about it. It was just cold and ordinary but he couldn't go anywhere else. Some days he didn't order anything. He just sat there, read the movies reviews and let a tip for Steve. It wasn't the same if she wasn't there.

He also went to the Italian restaurant they had lunch and dinner. He sat in the same table they did the first time they went there and he laughed alone as he remembered her foot climbing his legs. Brooke was unpredictable even if he could read her like a book. Even if he understood her better than he understood anyone before her even though she was one of the women he spent less time with.

And then he came there. He walked around and he could see her in every corner of the house. Her teary eyes as Jessica told her stories about Lea and Anthony. But certainly the most special spot was the beach. The beach where he thought about having kids with her. The beach where she looked so beautiful under the sunlight. The beach where he made love for the first time in his life. The beach that represented the love he had growing in his heart for the mesmerizing brunette.

He missed her like crazy and being there hurt. In the middle of the sweet memories of her, his smile would just fall and he would feel his heart sinking in his chest. Was it crazy that he actually liked to feel the pain?

For so long Julian felt absolutely nothing for everyone. There was curiosity, sympathy, desire but those didn't count as feelings. It was just reactions. He surely didn't like the pain, but it was good to feel it. He felt alive, he felt more normal and he felt like one of the many characters he grew to love. He could enlist the characters that he admired for loving their women like that. Some of the few that didn't look to the prize but for the simply pleasure of loving their muse.

All his life he had avoided this moment. He had avoided this feeling. Out of fear but especially out of unfamiliarity. He avoided love because he hadn't known it. He hadn't seen it in his life. He hadn't seen it in his parents' life and though he knew Isabella and Dylan loved each other, they were an epic story, one of those that happen from times to times and he wasn't willing to take his chances in this as much as he wasn't taking his chances in lottery. And he didn't do any for the same reason: it was a waste of time and resources.

Growing as a man, Julian never felt like a girl loved him, not even an innocent crush. He wasn't popular, he wasn't attractive, and he wasn't one of the cool guys or an athlete. He was just a geek, with bad hair and pimples. He was shy and didn't hang out with any girls. He didn't have a best friend, not male let alone female. He didn't know how it was to have a girl looking to him and smiling foolishly.

But as the time passed the pimples disappeared and his hair finally decided that wild didn't match Julian. As he started college he was already the good looking guy he was now, except that younger and shorter. A few girls appeared but they only seemed to be interested in sex and he couldn't blame them. If he was then more good looking than before he was still shy and friendless.

But he learned from the jocks and sluts though he didn't want to be like them. He wanted something in his life to finally have some meaning. If he had slept around like they did he would only add a collection of one night stands to his empty and meaningless existence. It was also by the same time he had found his passion for movies. He spent a lot of time watching some of the masterpieces of his favorite directors and some of these characters really enchanted him.

He said he didn't want his life to be like a movie but he was a character. A character that he built the same way he did with the couple of scripts he ventured to write or the way he helped the actors to build the characters in his productions. He was a character living in a real world until the day he met her. And it was ironic that he now felt human because he felt exactly the way the characters in the movies did. He felt human the day he looked like a movie character.

It was like one of those cartoon movies where the animated character comes to life in the real world. Brooke was literally a breath of new air in his life. The air that made him not a character, but a man.

He hadn't regretted his former life. If he hadn't met her he was probably living his old life and being happy about it. He was happy before her. He had never gone after love because he thought he didn't need it. But now he felt like that although he didn't pursue love he was somehow waiting for it to happen.

If someone had told him that he was just waiting for love to capture him he would laugh in their face. Actually people mentioned it to him before. Not exactly saying he was waiting but that when love picked him he wouldn't be able to deny it. They said he wouldn't be able to run and avoid it. At time he thought they were crazy and in his sister case that she was just dreaming out his life for him.

When Taylor and Lauren came he thought that he proved them wrong. He felt like he proved to himself that he could control, deny and avoid anything he wanted, even love. But now, looking back he felt like it was only infatuation with both amazing girls. Exactly because they were amazing, but still no Brooke Davis.

And after meeting Brooke he felt just like one of those silly in love people that he mocked so many times. Now he felt like he had spent all his life waiting for love to happen to him. Now he felt he wasn't able to make anything about it, just like they predicted he wouldn't. And he felt it was worth every minute of the wait because Brooke was just divine. Love wasn't a stupid prize. Love wasn't a delusional destination. Love wasn't once-upon-a-time story. Love was a gift and Brooke, his Brooklyn, was a blessing.

And that was how he felt for having found her, blessed.

And being one of the silly people he had always scorned he was now enjoying the feeling of pain for missing her. Because even the pain she caused made him feel like he had blood in his veins, not the blue fluids of his heroic character. He wasn't Julian Baker anymore, the producer that was building a respectful name for him in Hollywood. He was someone foolishly named Juker. Except that he wasn't a ship of him and himself. He was Juker because Brooke named him Juker but he felt like Juke. And for now, missing the other half of his stupid ship name was okay.

The pain obviously hurt and stole his smiles at her memories but it was a bittersweet pain and soon after his grins fell a melancholic curl in his lips was formed. Brooke had been his salvation when he had no idea he was lost in the first place.

He had been tempted to call or text her but he didn't. She texted him Saturday night saying _everything went well._ And that was the only news he had about her in the past three days. He knew she was okay and she was probably still living through the mess of getting her stuff into a new house. But he needed to listen to her voice even if only her voicemail. Acting out of impulse, he just grabbed his Blackberry and dialed two, her quick dial number, number one being his voicemail set automatically by his phone.

As if he was predicting it, it in fact went to her voicemail.

_You called Brooke. Leave me a message and I'll call you soon._

"Hey, Dimples, it is me. I am at the house and it remembered of you. I hope everything is fine and that everything is already done in your new place. Call me if you have time. I miss you" he turned off his phone and sighed. Her voicemail message was too short. He needed a lot more of her. So he walked to the beach.

* * *

The moment her phone biped saying she had a new voicemail she quickly grabbed it listening to his affectionate message. She repeated it over and over again and after hanging up, she held her phone against her chest. Before his call it was like she was feeling him. She knew there was a reason why she felt as if he was just a few feet away from her.

"What's so special about the phone, Brooke?" Haley asked as she entered the yet empty kitchen.

"Nothing" Brooke answered quickly getting rid of her phone, putting it in her purse.

"This house is amazing" Haley said seduced by the big house. She knew Brooke was up to something but she would try to figure it out when she was alone with the brunette. Nathan and Jamie were also checking the new house and they would meet them at any minute.

Also Haley wanted Brooke to get used to being around them again. They just met after being away for many years and she wanted to cherish the moment. She knew sooner or later she would be able to make Brooke confess what was happening because ever since she met the brunette she knew something was off.

"Yes. I loved it!!! And the neighborhood couldn't be any better" Brooke added looking up to her friend with an honest smile. She would be living just some houses away of Haley in no time if her offer was accepted and she just couldn't wait. For now the two friends, Nathan and Jamie would be living in the same house and for that she was also thankful. She missed her friends and godson like crazy.

"Do you think they are going to accept the offer?" Haley asked as if reading her thoughts.

"I am sure they will" Brooke said honestly "I can't believe we are going to live in the same city again!!! Actually we will be neighbors" she added cheerfully, her thoughts about Julian forgotten for some minutes.

"I am happy you changed your mind, Tigger. There was nothing I wanted more than to live close to you again"

"Well, for now it will be just like old times, you and me under the same roof plus J-Luke and Hot Shot" Brooke winked and saw her godson entering the room in that very moment.

"This house is so cool. Did you see the pool, Aunt Brooke?" the boy said excitedly. He also loved the house.

"No, can you show me, Jimmy-Jam?" she asked and let him take her hand and lead her outside.

A few minutes later Nathan joined Haley in the kitchen as they watched Jamie showing the pool and the backyard to Brooke.

Embracing her from behind, kissing her head he couldn't help but comment about the scene unfolding in front of them.

"She seems different, doesn't she?" he asked to this pensive wife.

"She is different. She is thinking about adoption" Haley confessed remembering the conversation they had over phone last week and also when they first met this week.

"Davis never fails to surprise us" Nathan chuckled actually surprised by his friend decision.

"I am just sensing there is more than she is showing and telling but I can't figure it yet" Haley pointed out as she saw Brooke taking her cell phone from her purse again and putting it on her ear.

Brooke seemed to zone out listening to whatever she was listening as she watched Jamie sat at the brim of the pool, kicking the water with his feet.

She was listening to Julian's message again and while it was short and simple, she couldn't help but keep listening to his voice. The voice she missed so much but she wasn't ready to talk to him yet. She had purposefully sent his call to voicemail because she didn't know what she would say. Because she didn't know if she would be able to say what she really had to say.

She had thought about calling him a lot of times and to tell him the whole truth and to meet him and forget about her fears and the voices in her head telling her it was better this way. But she couldn't bring herself to actually do it and she was afraid that if she answered his call, she would end up letting it slip.

"Mom, can I play outside?" Jamie called as he stood up from the ground and ran inside the house, bringing Brooke back from her daydream about the man that captured her heart regardless of her protecting ways.

"Sure, baby. Just don't leave the yard, okay? We will be leaving soon" Haley kissed her son in the forehead and walked outside to where Brooke was, with Nathan following her. Whatever happened to Brooke, he also wanted to know and try to help.

"Is everything okay, Brooke?" Haley asked to her friend and again Brooke quickly hung up her phone.

"Yeah, it is just this house is so perfect for a family like you and I want it so bad" Brooke sighed and Nathan and Haley looked to each other, knowing that Brooke was in pain and probably conflicted.

"It is perfect for you too" her best friend said reaching for her arm and rubbing it softly and offering a supportive glare.

"It is not. There is nothing perfect about it. How am I supposed to have a baby without a dad? How can I offer her everything if she will be missing this huge part? How can I live in a house like this all by myself?" Brooke opened up, her voice cracking and her eyes tearing up.

"Hey, honey, everything will work out perfectly. Whether you decide to live alone or to adopt the baby girl you want, it will be okay. We will be here, Jamie will be here and if you get the baby we will just be here for you and for her" Haley offered hugging her friend.

"What if we extend our living arrangements?" Nathan suggested as the two friends broke apart and looked at him with puzzled faces. "I mean, it will take a couple of weeks to finally have the house done, so instead of staying in a hotel we could all be together for these weeks, maybe until Christmas, when we could have a big family party here and celebrate the new year arrival with renewed hope and plans" Nathan suggested shyly.

"I knew I married you for a reason, that's a great idea, Baby" Haley melted kissing her husband and while Brooke held a honest smile, her friends's love exchange reminded her of Julian again. She would love for him to be with them. Maybe with his whole family. But who was she fooling? That wouldn't ever happen.

"It is a great idea indeed, Nate" she added with her smile fading at the thought of never seeing Julian with her family.

"I am going to check on Jamie, the neighborhood seems calm and quiet but he is only five" Nathan said as he left the two friends to talk.

"Why do I feel there is more in this story than you are telling?" Haley kinked her eyebrow and Brooke looked away. She knew she couldn't hide anything from Haley.

"It is nothing, I am fine" she insisted.

"Brooke, I know we've been apart from each other for many years and the two occasional visits to Tree Hill didn't really count, but I am your friend, you can trust me" Haley reaffirmed.

"I know Haley. You are definitely one of the few people I would trust my life" she confessed with a small smile. She had just recently added Julian to the list and that was one of the things that drove her even more afraid. How come she could trust her life to a man she had known for two weeks? The thought was scary and she knew falling in love would lead her to do this crazy things. The same way she did with Lucas and that was bad news.

"So tell me what's going on or at least admit something is going on. It is okay if you don't want to talk but don't lie to me. I know you. I know there is something else haunting your thoughts" Haley insisted.

"I am not sure I am so excited to be living near to you again" Brooke weakly said but somewhat playfully.

"Is it about the baby? Are you having second thoughts? Or are you thinking about finding the father before?" her friend tried softly.

"I hate you" Brooke whined with a smile and the first tear rolled.

"Honey, I won't push you. I know there is something and it is okay if you don't want to talk, I just want you to know that if you need I am here and that is pointless to try to lie to me. I know Brooke Davis' fine and it usually means things are anything but fine"

"Thank you, Hales, it makes a whole difference to me" Brooke wiped the tear from her face and tried to force a smile, unsuccessfully.

The two friends sat in the grim of the pool and like Jamie did earlier, they dived their feet in the very cold water.

"How could he keep his feet in the water? It is freezing!!!" Brooke said quickly removing her feet from the pool, sitting over them.

"I guess children's excitement make them superkids sometimes. They just can't feel anything" Haley chuckled thinking about the many situations where Jamie ignored pain, cold and hot because he was overly happy.

"Yeah…" Brooke agreed vaguely, her thoughts again drifting to Julian. She felt like a happy child around him. She ignored any warning of her head and anything else. He was the only thing that mattered in the days they'd been together. She had enjoyed every minute to the most and she missed the charming man so much that it hurt. She had no doubts she was undeniably and irrevocably in love him, no matter how much she pretended she wasn't.

He had captivated and captured her heart like no one before him. She was taken aback not only for the speed everything happened but especially for the intensity. She didn't know if it felt so strong because she didn't allow her to have such feeling in such a long time or if indeed Julian had made to her what no one else ever did, not even Lucas.

And while Lucas was the reason why she closed her heart to everyone else it was also the broody blond that made her fall for Julian so hard. Julian was the polar opposite of her high school boyfriend. To begin with, he didn't brood and this alone was a great advantage. Brooke didn't like anything to remind her of Lucas but this was the less significant difference between the two men.

Julian gave her his unconditional and worshiping attention. When she was around him she felt like she was the only person in his world, even if she was standing side by side with Kate Beckinsale or Angelina Jolie. It wasn't only about attention but also the adoration in his eyes. Nobody ever looked to her like that but she had seen that look before. She had just seen that look between Haley and Nathan and she was used to see it all the time when her friends looked to their adorable son.

She never felt this important before and he didn't make it only with his looks and attention. His actions were also something that set him and Lucas in totally opposite sides. While Julian talked a lot, even though his speeches were nothing like Lucas', what made the difference for her were his actions.

She still couldn't believe he didn't want to sleep without apologizing for snapping at her about something so small when he was in the middle of an annoying and demanding meeting. He would always buy her favorite food. He talked affectionately about her not only to her or in her presence but to anyone, anytime and anywhere. The compliments he gave her to Steve while she wasn't there and to Kate in his office melted her heart.

And then there was the way he touched, kissed and made love to her. He made her feel special and he made her feel loved. At first she tried to convince herself he would never be able to love her, just like she wouldn't love him. But then she started developing feelings for him and their confessions when they made love, when they couldn't pretend, when they felt in their bodies, souls and spirits the intensity of what united them, were undeniable. And what connected them was a blossoming love that now she knew he felt as well.

But not even this undeniable and intense feeling could destroy the walls that had been built around her heart for so many years. She took the phone many times. Actually she had asked the cab driver to get her back to his hotel in that Saturday morning but she couldn't bring herself to step out of the car.

Why couldn't she be like anyone else? Why couldn't she fall in love and simply live it? If it didn't work it wouldn't make her the only person to fail. People fell in and out of love all the time. People had their heart broken all the time but still it didn't stop them to try again. Brooke didn't want to be this coward woman that let her fears to take control of her life but she didn't know how to stop it and now it hurt. It hurt a lot and it only made this whole situation even more stupid because she was already hurting, so why couldn't she just give her heart for Julian for once and all? It wasn't like she was sparing any pain because being away of him already made her nights of sleep turn into nights of insomnia and tears. Tears that she didn't realize were now freely rolling down her face.

"Brooke!! Brooke!!!" Haley called softly shaking her friend's arm.

"I am sorry Hales. I am going to head back" Brooke answered, standing up.

"If you think I am going to let you leave you after you cried your eyes off out of nowhere and couldn't listen to me calling you for two minutes, you don't know me at all Brooke Davis." Haley warned with steady voice.

"I promise you it is nothing but my meaningless, empty, shallow and crappy life. Nothing that is any new for the past five years, it is just now I am feeling lonelier than ever" she sniffled as she wiped her tears. It wasn't a lie at all. What hurt wasn't her feelings for Julian. If so it made her happier than she had been in a long time. What hurt was who she was and her inability to do something about her feelings.

"Oh honey, you are so young, beautiful and talented. I am sure Mr. Right is going to pop any time just in front of you" her friend offered.

"Let's see if I don't scare him away" Brooke bitterly smiled. She knew the perfect guy had already crossed her path.

Haley could sense what it was about. She never imagined that Lucas could break Brooke like that. Surely at the time she thought it was pretty bad but she never expected her friend to stick it for her life like that. She thought sooner or later Brooke would move on. She knew Brooke never really gave her heart to Chase or to any other guy after him and it made her feel sorry for the brunette.

"Just open your heart, Brooke and love will make it all for you" she suggested and Brooke looked at her with a bit of hope. She already opened, even if not on purpose, and Julian had owned it within only ten days. Maybe Haley was right. Maybe at some point her heart would force her to face all her demons and she would be released of the endless fear she felt.

"Thank you, Haley, you are a great friend" Brooke offered hugging her friend and heading to leave the house but the man outside with Nathan and Jamie made her stop in her tracks immediately. Maybe someday she would face her fears. But that day wasn't today so she turned on her heels back to the kitchen before he'd see her.

* * *

_AN: So this is the opening chapter of the new Volume. I think it was pointless to restart the numbering so I kept it._

_First of all I want to thank to **Elilo** who suggested me to write a farewell scene. I hadn't written it at first because the focus of his chapter was the present and how they felt but now I am glad she asked. It fit perfectly to the chapter and I hoped I hadn't disappointed you - or anyone that hoped for a goodbye scene._

_Talking about my amazing readers, especially the reviewers, I'd like to thank to Artemi, Syrine, kaos2405, Sab, Kayla, Elilo, Y0uNMcK33 and vampiregurl for the reviews. I really appreciate it and I don't mind at all if some of my other readers follow the lead ;)_

_Coming up: Julian makes a decision. And two women come to visit him in his office. One of which he confesses his feelings for Brooke. Oh and there is a Jamie/Brooke moment._

_Have a nice weekend._

_Babi  
_


	21. No Julian & No Brooke: No Juker

**Lying Helpless in Her Arms**

**Chapter 20 - No Juker

* * *

**

The days never passed so slow for Julian. He was looking forward Thanksgiving to try to stop the heartbreak he was going through.

Brooke never returned his call though later she sent him a text saying she was doing well and that she would be sending the sketches for him to approve early in the next week. While he was happy and even relieved to have news from her he was also hurt by her coldness. Unlike him she never showed any affection or feeling. It seemed more like a work e-mail than a text and for that he wanted nothing more than the company of his family.

His nephews and sisters always cheered him up and he was willing to be comforted once again.

Now in less than twenty-four hours he was flying to North Carolina and he had a plan in his head. He knew Brooke was an avoider. Actually that was one of the first things he learned about her and he knew she felt the same way about him. She was probably doing to him what he did to Taylor and Lauren. _Karma is a bitch,_ he thought.

He knew she was running away and avoiding her feelings and by consequence, him as well. There was nothing he could do about it but maybe he could surprise her in Tree Hill and finally make it to her heart in person.

Truth to be told he hadn't chased her ever since she left. Actually the only attempt he made to talk to her again had been the voice-mail message he left for her a couple of days ago. He knew the more he insisted, the more she would run. He had to take her by surprise, to act quickly and intensely, like a hurricane. Like she had done to his heart.

So he planned to travel to North Carolina and spend some days with his family and go visit her in Tree Hill on Thanksgiving Day. If he knew her well, and he liked to think he did, she wouldn't resist him and his invitation if he stood in front of her, with his trademark grin and his heart in his hands. He had everything rehearsed in his head and he couldn't wait for the moment he'd see her beautiful and surprised face smiling at him. The sweet smile he missed so much. He needed to see her again for his own sanity.

A lot of weird things were happening to him ever since she left. He had called at least three women in the crowded New York streets thinking it was her but when they turned around they proved him wrong. Of course they did. She was hundreds of miles away from him but he couldn't stop the feeling that she was just in the next room.

He had been tempted to ask for her doormen to let him go to her place but he had resisted. First because he knew they wouldn't allow him and second because he could still her smell in his bed sheets. He had been emphatic to the hotel staff. He didn't want his sheets to be changed. Her smell was all he had now but in a few days it would hopefully change and he would have her in his arms again. And for that he couldn't wait.

He was also curious to know how Victoria had reacted to the news of Brooke moving away. While he thought the older brunette could be scaring and probably mean to Brooke, he was also hopeful that being abandoned by her daughter would maybe make her realize that she had been very blessed with a daughter like Brooke. He wanted to see her stern face when Millicent – _and poor Millie_, he thought – shared the news of Brooke's departure.

He knew how hard it was to have uncaring and judging parents but he wanted Brooke's life to be perfect and for that he wanted Victoria to actually see what she was losing. He was hoping for her to finally show Brooke some love and respect. He wanted to fix everything in the life of the woman he was in love with. He re-wrote her role in the movie, giving her a little bit more of screen time because he wanted her to be happy about it. He knew she didn't need neither wanted it but he wanted to give it to her anyway. Like she said, it wasn't like it would make her any more famous, because it wasn't possible but he also thought she would like a bigger role in the movie.

"May I come in?" asked Kate as she opened his office door slightly.

"Beckie, you don't need to ask" he offered less enthusiastically than he planned to. It was hard to show any genuine enthusiasm with Brooke away from him.

"Thanks JB, actually I came to wish you a nice holiday before I go back to L.A." she said as she entered his office

"Thanks. I am also traveling to spend it with the family" he admitted.

"Where is Brooke? I thought I would meet her at some point this week." she asked missing the cheery brunette she quickly liked.

"She moved back to her city but she will be here full time in January when she will organize the fashion show and also shoot her scenes" he explained and his face lit at the simply mention of the woman he was in love with. He couldn't wait until she was back to his daily routine. He had no idea of how they would be in a month and a half from now but he hoped for the best. He thought that if he was successful in his Thanksgiving mission things would turn out better for the two of them when she was back to New York.

"That's just a shame. So, I guess everything is okay to start shooting in December?"

"Yes. She sent me the sketches earlier today and I already approved them. She told me she would work in the production next week to send us on December 1st."

"She seems to be a great girl, JB and she seems to be good for you" she smiled.

"Brooke is special" was all Julian could say without revealing his feelings.

"I am happy for you JB. You are special too. There are only a few guys like you in the business and I am lucky to have married one of them, the best of them I'd say" she winked and Julian was actually surprised. All the times they got out together, with or without Len, Kate was always very discreet about her personal life and she wasn't one to show her feelings for Len like that.

"Thanks Beckie. Kisses and hugs for Lily and say hello to Len for me" he said hugging his friend.

"Say hi to Brooke for me" she said as they broke apart leaving his office.

* * *

Once she was gone his mind was lost in thoughts again. How could he have changed if he hadn't realized it by himself? Maybe he was a bit brooder as Brooke would say but as far as he could say, that was all. What did Kate mean by Brooke being good to him? That she was a special girl that would be good to him or that she was changing him into someone better?

The second option seemed a stretch as though he was friend with Kate's family, they weren't close and she certainly couldn't say that he was actually changing. Maybe she meant Brooke would be good to any guy. And he wanted to be this lucky guy. Maybe Kate didn't know him enough to capture the changes but he knew it wouldn't escape from a couple of girls, especially…

"Surprise!!!" she greeted as she ran from the door towards him jumping in his lap, as she would always do. She hugged him tight and covered his face of kisses in a very Nat fashion. She did the same to Isabella's kids and they were already used to the uncommon greeting.

"Nat, I was just thinking about you" he confessed exultant to see his sister one day before than he expected.

"I thought I'd surprise you and fly with you from here" she added still sat at his lap.

"It sounds perfect to me. I already released the crew, I guess they are all gone by now. I just have to make a few calls and send a couple of e-mails and we can leave" he explained with an unstoppable grin in his face. Nat appraised his face carefully. Yes, he was always happy to meet her or the kids but he never held that stupid foolish smile to them.

"What?" he asked as he saw her looking attentively at him and making some funny faces.

"Nothing. Did you change something? You haircut? Got some tan? You look different" she said still looking at him.

"That's your very way to say I need a new haircut or that I am looking older?" he joked and she just laughed. He loved to listen to her laughs. Nathalie had been through a lot at their house after Isabella moved away, just like him. But he knew she had a good life now and that though she slept with more guys than he could actually count, she was otherwise fine.

"You look great actually. Whatever it is, it definitely flatters you" she said with a childish smile while she messed up this hair.

"I missed you, Nat-Hatty" he confessed using her childhood nickname.

"Ha! I knew it. You met her" Nat said jumping from his lap.

Julian didn't totally understand what she had just said but he could only imagine it had to be related to Brooke. He tried to deny it though "Who?" he asked looking straight to his grinning sister.

"You tell me who. I know what is different. It is the longing look in your eyes. 'I miss you, Nat-Hatty'? You are never like this to me, Julls. With the kids yes, always lovey dovey, but with me? Spill it, did you meet her or not?" she queried.

"Who are you talking about Nat?" he asked the best he could to look and sound like old-good Julian.

"Oh, so you are going to pretend you have no idea of what I am talking about? Come on, Julls. Give me some credit here, I know you for almost twenty-five years. The only time you had this loving look and actually showed any verbal affection to me was when each of the kids were born and correct me if I am wrong but I guess our dearest sister stopped the production, didn't she?" she sarcastically added but all while with a happy smile in her face. Julian more than anyone else she met deserved to be happy.

"I do have no idea of what you are talking about" he denied even though their smiles matched. He would deny but he wouldn't avoid looking at her. Was he looking that foolish? First Kate and now Nat. He probably had a sign in his forehead.

"Okay, let's supposed I believe you. So let me ask you straight. Are you with someone?" she started kinking her eyebrow to him and it reminded him of Brooke again. That was something the two girls did exactly in the same way.

"Come on Julls, at the mention of her your face already lit up" she chuckled appraising his body expressions.

"I am me, Nat, you know I am always single. I still have no idea of who or what you are talking about" he half-lied. He was single, Brooke and he were far from being a couple and he knew it. As much as he was in love with her and believed she felt the same way he was also completely aware that things wouldn't be easy for the two of them to be together.

They were in love but they were still the people they were. She was the avoider and he was the denier. He knew if they ever confessed their feelings it would still take a lot of time for them to actually move to the next step and make their relationship official.

"So she doesn't love you back?" she asked and her smile dropped. Ever since they went to UCLA she knew a lot of women were always going after her brother. Then he started his ritual with them but she had a lot of friends that fell for her brother. He had a way with women and she couldn't believe that the one woman he wanted didn't want him back.

"She does" he confessed letting it slip. Surely he wanted to keep his sister in the dark for a little longer because it was fun to make fun of her but once he realized the words were already out of his mouth.

"I knew I was right" she winked moving back to his lap. Julian had been protective of her ever since they were in kindergarten and ever since then she had been used to sit at his lap. "Tell me everything about her" she excitedly asked as she moved her arm to the back of his neck.

"Her name is Brooklyn and she is perfect" he sappily added.

"Ow. How cute is that? Jully is in love and she is perfect" she mocked laughing loudly.

Julian only chuckled back to his sister mockery. He knew he sounded sappy and lame but he couldn't help how he felt. And sharing it with his sister made him realize how great it was to feel like he felt.

There was a mix of feelings, only good feelings. He was proud of who Brooke was. He felt like she was the most amazing person in the whole world. He thought of her and he actually felt butterflies in his stomach. He could see her beautiful face and think how lucky he was to 'have' someone so beautiful in the outside and even more beautiful in the inside. He wanted to protect, to love, to help, to flatter, to kiss, to touch, to honor her. And this mix of feelings made him feel a better man. It made him feel like a superman. He felt important knowing that one life could depend on him. And all he wanted was to have his girl in his lap now, instead of his sister. He wanted to make her the happiest woman alive and that feeling was fulfilling and amazing.

"Earth to Julian" Nathalie chuckled as her brother zoned out. He looked to her and smiled looking down and she couldn't remember of something so adorable.

"So why aren't you a couple? You love her, she loves you. Are you waiting for my approval? Because you know you are going to need it" she mused.

"It is complicated. It just happened. We met and it was so fast and so intense but none of us wanted a relationship let alone feelings. She moved back to her city this weekend but she is working with me in the movie" he explained.

"Oh my God. Did you meet the She-Julian?" Nathalie laughed and clapped her hands.

"No. Brooke is nothing like me. She is just hurt and afraid, I guess" he shook his head.

"Hmm… High maintenance girl? I am not sure if that's what I had in mind for the first girl you'd ever fall in love" Nathalie pensively added.

"There won't ever a second, Nat. Brooke is the first and last, she is anything but a high maintenance girl" he disagreed "Actually things were never as easy as they were around her"

"Oooohhh, Jully, you are so cute in love" she half-mocked him. She was happy for her brother but she wouldn't lose the chance to scorn him.

"Now, let's stop with the moment of the heart. I have some work to do. Why don't you sit in the chair or walk around?" he suggested.

"What's her full name? Last question" Nathalie asked raising her hand showing him her palm, scout alike.

"Brooklyn Penelope Davis" he answered with a broad smile.

"Let's see what Mr. Google says about Ms. Brooklyn Penelope Davis" Nathalie said as she got her iPhone leading Julian to shake his hand laughing. His sister would never change.

"Oh my God. Jully is dating Clothes over Bros-Brooke Freaking Davis. Oh, wait until Isabella knows it. I don't want to be you, Julls" Nathalie commented as she frenetically typed in her iPhone.

Julian ignored his sister comments and focused in the work he still had to do before he was officially on holiday vacation.

* * *

The days with the Scott's had made it even more hurtful for Brooke. They were the picture of perfection, especially when it involved Jamie. The little boy was just adorable. She loved him and having him to spend these days with her made it even more clear to her heart that she indeed wanted to start her own family. She had heard before that motherhood is like a clock and when it says it is time, there is no way to deny it. She couldn't agree more.

Hadn't she met Julian she was probably now taking care of the adoption papers and preparing herself to be a mother in a few months. She would probably be doing some nursery shopping and excitedly picking up names. But she had met Julian and not for one second she regretted it. With only ten days he had proved to be the best thing that had ever happened to her life. And it was terrifying to the brunette.

It was so fast and intense and meaningful that it scared her. In one week she was planning to start her new life with her baby girl and two weeks later she couldn't accept to have this baby without _him._ She couldn't believe it had happened to her. She knew stories about people that met each other, started a relationship, got engaged and married all in three months. She was skeptical if it was true love or not and honestly she had thought that if she ever fell in love again it would take her months for it to happen.

Julian proved everything she believed wrong and that included the family she was so convinced she was going to start. But she didn't want it anymore. At least not alone. During her delusional daydreams she thought that if she admitted her feelings to him and told him the truth of what was happening to her, he would not only have a relationship with her but he would also agree about the baby. In her dreams, Julian would be the father of all her babies and the first one would be born in no longer than nine months. The way he looked to his nephews and the way his face lit when he talked about him were mesmerizing. She wanted her babies to have that and she knew he had a soft spot for kids in his heart. Actually she felt like his own heart was as soft as a child's heart.

But she knew Julian wasn't this guy. While he indeed had the golden heart and loved his nephews more than anyone she had ever met, he also kept his heart to himself and his family. He had confessed to be in love with her but if he had any plans to make something of his developing love he would have called her during this week. Maybe he would even have asked her to do not move.

She shouldn't have fallen in love with him. He had been crystal clear to her. He wasn't in this for the long haul. Actually he wasn't in this at all. Surely he had also said he wouldn't develop any feelings to her but these they couldn't control. He was probably avoiding her to forget his feelings and she should just do the same. Except that she couldn' had tried to take the charming man out of her head and especially out of her heart but the more she tried the more she fell for him. He was perfect to her. He would be the perfect dad to their kids and the perfect husband to her, just like Naley family. But she didn't stand a chance with Julian and it broke her heart because he would be just perfect.

"Why are you crying Aunt Brooke?" Jamie asked concerned as he entered her bedroom.

"It is nothing, Jimmy-Jam" she plastered a fake smile in her face.

"Mom and dad think you are sad. I heard them talking that you are crying and depressed. We are worried Aunt Brooke"

"Don't worry, sweetie. Aunt Brooke is just sad because she really wants something but she can't have it. You know when you ask your mother to do something and she doesn't allow you to do?" she softly asked.

"Like go alone to the toy store when we are the mall?" he innocently asked.

"Exactly. Aunt Brooke wants something but she can't have it, so she is sad because she wants it really bad" Brooke confessed and her eyes got tearing again.

"But why can't you have it?" he queried as he sat in the bed with her.

"Because it is not available. It is impossible" she heartbroken admitted.

"Mom always says nothing is impossible if we have faith. Do you have faith, Aunt Brooke?"

"Not in this, J-Luke" she looked away. Jamie was so smart and well raised by his parents. It was just a living reminder of what she was losing with Julian.

"But we need to have faith in everything my mom says. She says that if we have faith and if we do everything right we will get it. Just like Christmas gifts" he added smiling.

"Christmas gifts huh?" she faked another smile, rubbing his head.

"Yes. I believe Santa Claus will give me a Wii because I was a good boy this year to mommy and daddy. See? Faith and hard work" he concluded nodding his head and Brooke couldn't control herself but hug him messing up his hair.

"You are a gem, James Lucas Scott" Brooke said wondering how innocent and smart the little boy was.

"So Aunt Brooke, why don't you ask to Santa? I know you are a good girl, because my mom always says you have the biggest heart of the whole world. If you want I can ask him" he offered

"But don't you have only one gift from Santa?"

"My dad can buy me a Wii in my birthday. What do you want me to ask to Santa Claus, Aunt Brooke?" he suggested with his sweet eyes.

"I want to have my family, like you, your mom and your dad" Brooke confessed. In moments of vulnerability she couldn't resist the innocence of the little boy that she knew that loved her almost as if she was his own mother.

"Cool. I will have a cousin!!!" Jamie shouted as he jumped from the bed and ran out of the bedroom leaving a smiling-tearing Brooke behind him. She wanted it badly and she wished it was something Santa could bring.

Actually she had more faith in Santa than in having Julian because even if she opened up to him about her feelings and he actually corresponded to them, she still had to tell him the truth. She had to confess she lied to him all these days and she knew he wouldn't forgive her. Simply because she couldn't forgive her, even if it was an honest mistake.

There would be no Christmas gift to Brooke and honestly she couldn't imagine of something to be thankful for on Thanksgiving.

_

* * *

_

_AN: I don't know if I need to explain why Brooke and Julian react so different to this whole situation, but I'll do it just in case it is not clear. They both avoided feelings but for total different reasons. Julian didn't believe in love because it was unfamiliar to him. He is not afraid of love he just disbelieved it until he met her. Brooke on the other hand had a bad experience and she was acting out of fear. Julian is out of his element here and that makes him a bit afraid of the whole situation. He is afraid because he doesn't know how to act, how to react, what to do. He doesn't know what to do with the love he has for Brooke especially because he knows Brooke doesn't want it. Brooke is afraid because of her past and also because of her present. She is lying to him, a big lie and she doesn't know how to get out of this lie and she is sure he won't forgive her for lying to him._

_Now you guys were great to me again!!!! Thanks to lily, Sab, Kayla, Elilo, Artemi, Syrine, MaryOTH, sb1218, SouthernBellBrooke and Y0uNMcK33. You guys always make my day and I hope you keep doing it ;)_

_I'll update Saturday or Sunday again. This week was hectic I am sorry I took a couple more of days to actually update it._

_Talk to you soon,_

_Barbara_


	22. No Julian & No Brooke: No Julian Baker

**Lying Helpless in Her Arms**

**Chapter 21 - No Julian Baker

* * *

**

"Uncle Jully!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Julia screamed as soon as she saw her beloved Uncle entering the living room as she was followed by Austin, Logan and Jayden. The latter falling several times as he stumbled in his small steps. But he didn't even drop a tear, the little boy loved his only Uncle and was absolutely excited to see Julian.

"Don't ever let me arrive with Julls again. I feel unloved" Nat whined as she hugged her big sister.

"They love you, Nat but we all know Julian is their favorite. I am positive they love him even more than they love me and Dylan" Isabella confessed as she watched Julian sitting down in the arm chair, surrounded by her kids who were climbing on him.

"Let's see if they will love him this much when he gives them some competition" Nat chuckled as she watched the scene.

"What do you mean?" Isabella frowned. She knew for sure there would never be any competition to her kids in Julian's heart except if…. "No way!!!" she surprised exclaimed to her baby sister.

"Yes, honey. The day we all prayed for finally arrived" the blond nodded.

"Is she here? Who is she?" Isabella quickly asked now focusing only in her sister.

"Don't let me even begin. Actually let me show you" Nat suggested as she led their way to the home-office.

* * *

After fulfilling his nephews and his own needs with hugs and kisses, Julian looked up to finally greet Isabella but she was nowhere to be seen which was unexpected. Usually Nathalie and she would just watch the kids' love to him. Isabella touched and Nat somewhat jealous but both happy for him and the children.

Julian let them opening the gifts he always brought to them and left to chase his sisters. Dylan was probably working, even though it was Saturday.

"I don't like her" Isabella said to her brother as soon as he stepped into her office.

"Oh, I should have known" Julian rolled his eyes. "Do you really trust Nat impressions in this? Nathalie-lives-to-sleep-around Nat?"

"Did you see the list of the guys she dated? Actually I don't know how someone only twenty-two handled to have so many flings or whatever she calls it" his older sister retorted.

"I have to admit she gives me a run to my money" Nat nodded her head looking up the list and pictures of the guys Brooke supposedly slept with.

"You seriously believe this junk?" he asked amused by his sister reaction. Any other time he would laugh about her overprotective ways but this was Brooke she was talking about it and for the first time in his life he wanted to make Isabella just shut up.

"But why am I surprised? Why good guys always attract bitches?" Isabella mused.

"I would hardly call Julls a good guy" Nat smirked.

"Nathalie Lisa, you are definitely not helping him" she sent a deadly glare to the blond.

"Uh mother-bear mode… good luck Jully. I will see if the kids can acknowledge me now that Saint Julian is not around" Nathalie sarcastically commented as she left.

"So how is Dylan and the kids?" Julian asked as he sat in the chair across to Isabella. He didn't want to talk about Brooke like that. He knew Isabella already formed an opinion and for what he could see, it wasn't one he was willing to know.

"Julls, you deserve better" she offered with her soft and sweet voice. She loved her brother almost as much as the kids and Dylan and it would break her heart if someone broke his.

"Actually I don't Lizzy. Brooklyn is the most caring, lovely, adorable, smart, sweet, kind hearted person I ever met. She is amazing" Julian explained with the biggest grin in his face and Isabella could actually catch the shine in his eyes.

"Oh Julian. That's how everyone is when we are in love"

"No, Lizzy, she is different, she is special, you will know it the moment you lay eyes in her. I am sober about it. I guess… I guess I finally met _her_" he confessed with a sappy smile that still didn't convince Isabella, though she had always trusted her brother judgment.

"So tell me everything about her. How it happened, how long are you guys together. I want to know everything and especially why she is not here and when I am meeting her" Isabella demanded giving her brother a chance to change her mind about Brooke Davis.

* * *

Julian went on details about how he met Brooke and how their days developed in the past weeks. He didn't miss anything and after two hours and a half Isabella finally asked him to stop. She had known enough already.

"She seems indeed special, Julls" Nat added. She had joined them fifteen minutes after she had left and tugged Jayden and Logan in their beds for their afternoon naps.

"I just can't understand what went wrong. Why are you here and she is in Tree Hill? I have to admit not even Dy and I have such a story" Isabella asked and her features had totally softened. As Julian talked about Brooke, Isabella's heart had slowly melted about the younger brunette. She was now anxious to meet the girl that maybe would change her brother's life for good.

"She wants to have the baby and she wants to start her own family. I am sure I am not part of the plans" Julian explained and both of his sisters could catch the mix of feelings in his eyes. While they may not have been able to catch all his emotions they certainly saw sadness, hope, frustration and love.

"Or maybe she is just running" Nat commented.

"I guess Nat is right, Julls. If she is as hurt as you think she is; she is probably running from her feelings and from you" his older sibling agreed.

"I came to the same conclusion and that's why I am going to visit her in Tree Hill on Thanksgiving" he confessed and both of his sisters could see for the thousandth time his face lightening up ever since he started talking about Brooke.

Nat and Lizzy were more touched by Julian's feelings and reactions about Brooke and the effect the mysterious and beautiful girl had on him than by the descriptions of who she was.

"Don't you think it is too bold to appear in her doorstep out of nowhere?" Isabella wondered that Julian knew how to treat a woman better than anyone she met. But it never involved his feelings. It was always about his fascination to the opposite sex. If his tactics worked, great, if they didn't, he would just let it go and wait until the next woman that would intrigue him. But now he was in love and her baby brother was for her the same her boys would be when the first girl appeared, hopefully in many, many years to come.

"You said she declined your invitation to spend Thanksgiving with us, Julls. If you pressure her too much she is going to run even faster" Nat complemented her sister ideas.

"I am not asking her to marry me or something. I just want to see her and spend a nice day with her, like we did in New York those days. If she feels up to come here, she will but if she doesn't, it is okay. I am not confessing my dying love to her" he shyly said the last part. It was still weird for him to show his in love side. He felt foolish and stupid but he couldn't help what he felt for Brooke. It was too intense and big to be denied or ignored.

"So your plan is to have sex with her? Way to go, big-bro" Nat criticized showing her always sarcastic side.

"Who said anything about sex? I want to be her. I want to hear her voice, I want to see her dimpled smile and I want to smell her sweet smell. I want to be with her. I never went after a woman for sex. I won't start doing it now" he defensively explained.

"God, you are pathetic. Who are you and what did you do to my beloved and smart brother?" she mocked him once again but he didn't care.

"I guess he has a good plan, Nat. Spending time together might lead her to miss him even more, if she indeed loves him back and maybe eventually she will get her defenses down" Isabella mused.

"So what's up with the Norris reunion?" Dylan asked as he entered the office interrupting their conversation.

"Dylan. Nice to see you man" Julian stood up giving a sincere hug in his brother-in-law who answered with a big grin. Though he used to be jealous of the kids around Julian, he loved his wife's brother just as much as the kids did. They got along very well and had a lot of interests in common. Julian was the only man in the family, as Dylan had only single sisters that lived in L.A. So when Julian came he finally had some macho stuff to do.

"Nat-Hatty!!!!" Dylan said and the blond immediately jumped in him.

"So, why is Julian here and the nanny is with Julia and Austin?" Dylan asked surprised as he bent to give Isabella a peck in the lips, resting his arm on her shoulders expecting the answer. It was absolutely unusual for the kids to be apart of Julian when he was there.

"Oh, it is nothing. It is just Ully finally met Mrs. Ully and if his pathetic plan works in no time the pests will have some more company" Nat smirked. She was loving this to no end.

"No way!! Hi hi hi" Dylan laughed out loud. He was going to mock Julian for days about it. He had always said that when he fell for someone he would fall so bad that he wouldn't even know what hit him and he seemed to be just right.

Julian didn't get bothered by all the mockery. He knew his family loved him and wanted him to be happy and all their jokes were lighthearted and he definitely deserved them. He had always mocked them with his wit arrogance and now it was just biting back his butt.

"Okay. You already punished Julian enough. If you excuse us, no more emotional chick crap" Dylan demanded and the girls just laughed as the boys left the room hearing Julian thanking Dylan for rescuing him.

"Oh, be prepared Honey. Julls is all lovey dovey. It is so sappy that I want to puke" Isabella added also leaving the room to check on her kids.

* * *

As Julian knew it would happen, Nathalie and Isabella were very suspicious and uneasy about Brooke at first, like they would be about anyone they never met, especially if said person had tons of lies and gossip about her on internet. But as he filled them about who she really was and what Brooke and he had they slowly changed their perception about the woman of his life and he knew that he would have their unconditional support on this. Especially after they met Brooke.

That was going to change everything. He was positive that anyone that ever met Brooke would just love the sweet brunette because she the most beautiful person he ever met and he wasn't actually thinking about her gorgeous features. Actually he couldn't count the seconds for _him_ to meet her again. He craved for her. His body missed hers and it was like he had a big hole in his heart when he wasn't around her.

The moment Nat and he passed the Tree Hill sign in their way from the airport to Isabella's his heart sunk in his chest. There was nothing he wanted more than to go up in the road and meet her, though he had no idea of where she lived. He needed time to gather information.

He brought _The Unkindness of Ravens_ with him to try to figure out how to find Brooke in the southern North Carolina city. Surely, it was a small city but still he knew he wouldn't find her easily, especially because he felt like she was hiding now only from him but also her mother and even the whole world.

But he would find her. Even if he had to knock on each door of Tree Hill. Even if he had to find Haley and Nathan Scott instead of the brunette he loved so much.

* * *

"So Tigger I still have to buy some things for our Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow, do you want to come?" Haley suggested as she entered the brunette's room.

Haley was worried about Brooke. Victoria and Millie had been calling her nonstop and most of times Brooke just ignored their calls. Victoria's because she didn't have the strength to keep fighting with her mother. To say Victoria was mad on Brooke was an understatement. It wasn't only that Brooke hadn't appeared to work for the past two weeks but that she wasn't working at all from home.

The only thing she did work related were the sketches to the movie. She had been sewing the clothes by herself and therefore she spent the whole day in the room, sewing.

She didn't want to talk to Millie because she was guilty for letting her trustful assistant to deal with the wrath of Victoria Davis. Most of times Millie would give her information about contracts and update her about the mess Clothes over Bros was turning into. Brooke should feel bad about making havoc of the company she worked so hard to build but truth to be told that was the last of her concerns now. C/B could wait. She had told both Millie and Victoria that she didn't have head for business now. Her brains were busy with something else. Her brains and heart were busy with Julian Baker.

When she told Victoria she was working in the first pieces to deliver to Julian her mother somewhat relaxed. At least she was working on something, though there were a lot of decisions to make about the spring-summer collections and the fashion show.

Haley had heard some of these conversations and had seen Brooke ignoring the calls many times. That and the many times her best friend cried and how she spent the whole day in the damned room was really letting Haley very concerned about Brooke. She needed to take the brunette out of the apartment. She thought Brooke needed to see the sunlight – or the lack of, in the end of the fall – and that's why she tried to convince her friend to go with her do some grocery shopping.

"I am not really in mood, Haley. I am sorry" Brooke answered but didn't move her eyes from the dress she had in front of her, in which she was doing the last adjustments. Her eyes were puff and red and Haley knew she was avoiding her gaze because her face showed that she had cried once again.

"Brooke I had enough!" Haley sighed "You've been locked in this room for two weeks. The last time you've been outside this apartment was when we went to check the house and don't think that I didn't notice that you left only to come back a minute later as if you had seen a ghost. Ever since that day you turned into a ghost yourself! I gave you time, I gave you space. For God's sake even Jamie gave you some time and space but now I have had enough. You are going to tell me what is happening right now" the singer demanded and while her voice was serious and steady it also showed that she was putting her heart in her words now. She loved Brooke and she was deeply worried about her friend.

"Haley, it is no…" she started only to be cut off "And don't even try to give me nothing shit. I am tired of listening to you say you are fine, that it is nothing when all you do is cry and shut everyone out. I understand you don't want to talk to Victoria but you have shut even Jamie out. What's going on, honey?" Haley's tone sweetened at the last part as she reached out for Brooke's hand giving it a squeeze.

"I screwed up, Haley. I screwed up big time" the designer confessed and the tears immediately started to spill from her eyes.

"Is it about the company?" Haley sighed relieved to know that her friend was finally going to open up.

"No, it has nothing to do with the company. I just can't think about business now you know? I need to deliver him these costumes next week and that's the best I can handle now. I can't think of anything else than him" Brooke vaguely explained while her shoulders dropped and her tears converted into sobs.

"Who? What are you talking about? Who are you working for?" her friends questions filled with concern. She couldn't imagine how a customer could do this to Brooke. It had to be very serious.

"Julian Baker, his name is Julian Baker. He is a movie producer and he hired Clothes over Bros to design the costumes of his latest movie. He was emphatic he wanted me to do the job. He was emphatic that I was everything he wanted and some more. He made me feel the most important person in his world and I screwed it" she sniffled trying to regain some composure but failed miserably as in the moment she mentioned that she destroyed what they had she broke down again.

"Honey, this is your company, you work the way you want. Did he hire you or Clothes over Bros? Because if he hired the company you can have whoever you want to do the job" Haley softly offered misunderstanding Brooke's hazy words.

"It has nothing to do with the job, Haley. I slept with him. We met by chance and I got drunk we had sex. He had scheduled a lot of appointments with the best design companies but he had decided that he wanted me. He said that no one was better than me and that the competition ended the moment he met me" Brooke basically quoted him and Haley could see her features changing as her friend reported the man's words. Remembering his words and his eyes as he said those and some many other words warmed Brooke's heart. As much as she wanted to fight her feelings she couldn't. They had changed her life. Julian had changed her life and for all she could say it had been for better.

"And what happened from there on?" the other brunette asked knowing that there was much more in the story than Brooke was finally telling and still confused by her constant expressions changes. She was looking devastated and in the next minute her face lit up. Haley couldn't read Brooke and that wasn't something usual even if they had been apart for so many years.

"We started seeing each other and he said all those perfect words and I got a leave absence from CB and spent five days with him and then everything went downhill" Brooke sobered up. She was still crying but reporting the story actually made her realize that she dug the whole she was in and she had no one to blame but her.

"The jerk only took advantage of you and now you have to work for him because you have a contract with him. What a filth pig" Haley quickly jumped to conclusions.

"He said he fell in love with me" Brooke rambled

"Uh… son of a bitch" the former teacher cursed. Her friend had been miserable for the past two weeks and she now wanted to kill the jerk that did it with her bare hands.

"And I knew I shouldn't allow it. I knew what was happening but I didn't stop it. I didn't stop him. I didn't stop myself. He told me he would never fall in love with someone. He told me his past and how he had never settled for a woman in his life and had never planned to do it but I couldn't avoid him. I couldn't help myself. He is perfect, Haley. He is the man I want to father my baby" Brooke finally confessed in a trance. She hadn't really realized the words leaving her mouth. She was only focused in the man she couldn't forget. Her thoughts had wondered to the man that finally captured her heart and the smile that formed in her face couldn't be controlled or avoided. She couldn't think of him and her delusional plans to their lives without having the most honest smile in her face.

"Idi… wait, what?" Haley gasped to the revelation.

"I told him I was moving back to Tree Hill. I abandoned him. I screwed up and I know he will never forgive me. I thought it wouldn't hurt this much. I thought it was only infatuation but I fell in love with him" Brooke sadly concluded.

"Oh Brooke. I am so sorry. When did it happen? Are you sure he can't forgive you?" Haley asked still in shock about what Brooke had just said. She didn't know how to react, especially after the conversation she had with Lucas just before she left. Their timing had always been wrong and now she had some bad news to deliver to her male best friend.

"He wanted me to spend Thanksgiving with him and his family. You should have seen his face when he talked about his nephews. You should have seen the shine in his eyes that could be seen even in the pictures when he was around his family and now I destroyed it" Brooke entered in another trance and while she described his features when he was around his family her own reflected the same love and adoration. "It could have been me" she whispered and the tears that had ceased some minutes ago now silently started to shimmer again in her eyes and one by one run down her face, slowly as she unconsciously moved her hand to her flat stomach.

"You can fix it, Brooke. You changed your mind when you realized things have changed. You couldn't predict what was happening. If he loves you the way you say he does, he will forgive you. All you have to do is tell him the whole story" Haley positively offered with a reassuring smile as she would do. All she wanted was for her friends to be happy and while a selfish part of her wanted Brooke and Lucas to finally make it, the biggest part of her heart just wanted them happy. Simply happy in any way. She knew both of them had succeeded in their careers and that could have been enough. But it wasn't. Both of them wanted the family and so she wanted them to have it even if with other people.

"I don't know if I can. The last time I trusted my love to someone all I got back was a shattered heart that I was never able to fix. He deserves better than a broken heart that doesn't know anymore how to love someone. I have this baggage, I am broken, I am twisted, I am hopeless and he is just amazing. He deserves someone that will love him properly. Someone that won't lie to him, that won't abandon him, that won't deny him the love he deserves" her tears intensified as she explained how she felt because there was nothing more she wanted than be his woman. She wanted to be shinny and positive about love. She wanted to be upbeat and brave about her feelings but she just couldn't. She was stuck in her fears and her heart surrounded by walls that didn't allow her to see anything. But still she fell in love with Julian.

Somehow she had been able to see his beautiful heart through the insurmountable defenses she spent her whole life building. She couldn't nail when it happened but at some point she stopped protecting her heart and had unconsciously gave it to Julian for him to protect. She had yet to admit it to him but that was how she felt. She wanted to give her life in the palm of his hands because she knew he would risk his own life to keep her safe, happy and unhurt.

And while she was sure he would be willing to do it for her had she stayed with him, she was also sure that he wouldn't forgive her and in the case he did she would still feel guilty and undeserving of his love. She was sure he had met someone stronger and braver than her before and while he swore that wasn't anyone like her she knew she was a coward that was keeping her heart from him just because she couldn't handle her feelings. Just because she was afraid that both of them would end up hurt because of her inability to love.

Yes, she nurtured the feeling in her heart but she didn't know what to do about it. She didn't know what do to with it. She knew she was going to hurt Julian and when it happened she was going to be hurt because hurting him was more than she could handle. Hurting him was probably going to break her even harder and deeper than Lucas and Peyton had broken her in High School.

Ever since she left him almost two weeks ago, the feeling she had inside her only grew and she would do anything to make Julian happy, to give him what he had ever wanted and dreamed about. She knew he loved her back as intensely if not more. She hadn't forgotten the words Jessica said about the way he looked at her but mainly she couldn't forget his tender and worshiping gaze back then and so many times after it.

It gave her shivers to remember how adoringly and lovingly his chocolate eyes captured her frame. She had never seen something like that. Not aimed at her or at anyone else. The closest she had seen had been Nathan and Haley to each other and Lucas to Peyton. The look that she had envied so many times. The look she had dreamed about so many times. The look that she felt that would change her life for good. And it did.

Regardless of where her fears and insecurity led her she knew she would never forget Julian Baker and she would never be the same after him. Even if she couldn't live that love that now filled her whole heart, body and soul, she was still thankful for the days they spent together. It was the best days of her entire life and as they progressed they turned out even more special.

She had dreamed a lot of times about the last time they made love. She had actually dreamed countless times of making love to him again. The way he looked at her the moment he confessed his feelings just after her own confession never left her mind. It was glued there and she made no effort to take it away. She would carry it with her for her whole life and for that alone she was thankful. Her whole life had been worth living because she had met the man that made her feel worthy. The man that made her feel loved. The man that made her feel cherished and desired. The man that made her feel complete.

And she couldn't take any chances to hurt this man, could she? If she never talked to him anymore, even though she had to organize the movie's fashion show, he would never have to handle her complicated and messed heart. He would only be hurt because of the platonic love they were never able to make real. And while she wanted to spare him of this pain she wanted to spare him of an even bigger pain that would come from having a relationship with her. She was damaged and she would damage him more than she could stand.

As if Haley had been reading her mind as she stood there, looking to nowhere, in trance, her best friend finally suggested.

"Why don't you go there tomorrow? There will be a lot of Thanksgivings for you to spend with Jamie and us. I am sure he will be happier about Christmas anyway. Why don't you go there and give him your heart. I am sure after you give it to him, both of you will be able to do whatever it takes to be happy because loving each other is more important. Love is what make you resist to storms you were just sure you would never survive.

I had been through a lot of battles, very ugly battles with Nathan. Some of which you know, some of which you have no idea but the love we have for each other kept us together even when we didn't know what to do. Even when we wanted to run. Even when we wanted to hurt each other. Love is what makes you survive all these things and if you don't know how to handle it, it will do everything by itself, you just have to trust your heart and with a beautiful heart like yours, there is nothing that could go wrong" Haley reassuringly explained and Brooke wanted nothing more than believe it. She believed in the power of love. She believed that Haley and Nathan won their battles because of their love. She just didn't know how to get there. How to get where love would take the lead of her life and make it for her when she wouldn't be strong and brave enough?

"I will hurt him. I know I will. I will hurt him with the truth. I will hurt him when I run because I won't know what to do next. I will hurt him when I shut him out and I just can't stop myself from doing it Haley. Trust me there is nothing I wanted more than to open up to him but I just can't. It is like I am rooted where I am" Brooke suddenly stood up and went to the private bathroom and holding the brim of the sink with her life she cried. She commiserated of her cruel fate of loving the perfect man for her and being loved back but unable to live such big love. She felt cursed.

"Brooke, listen to your heart, honey and let it guide you. Be stubborn when your head and defenses tell you that it won't work. Just ignore it and go there tomorrow. Go meet his family, go meet the man you are in love" Haley encouraged from the doorway.

"What if…" she started but she was cut off by her friend again "No buts, just go" Haley smiled and somehow it gave Brooke the little push she needed. The last push she needed to finally give Julian's her heart.

_

* * *

_

_AN: Just to clarify if it is not clear: Julian's part happens in the Saturday before TG and Brooke's part happens the Wednesday before TG._

_I have to warn you. From chapter 22 on this fic gets really emotional, just as most of you voted to. They will try fight to be with each other but it won't be easy. Chapters 22 and 23 are really hard and even nasty as he finds out her lie. He reacts pretty badly and so does she. Be prepared for a few tears. I had planned their departure and their reconciliation since I started it but only now that I started writing it I decided it to be very intense and it will be. I hope I won't disappoint you. But as I wrote it I seen their love becoming something epic and an epic love needs an epic storm._

_Thanks for all people that reviewed last chapter. It is because of you that I keep updating quickly though I only have now 3 chapters written but I am sort of holding it off because I want to know how you will react to those chapters to know where to go with next chapters though I do have a outline in my head. So thanks to **Kayla, Sab, Artemi, kaos2405, sb1218, Syrine, MaryOTH and Y0uNMcK33.**_

_I hope some reviews for this chapter - I really like Brooke's thoughts and I hope you feel the same :)_

_Talk to you soon, have a nice weekend;_

_-B._


	23. No Julian & No Brooke: No Juke Pt 1

**Lying Helpless in Her Arms**

**Chapter 22 - No Juke – Part I

* * *

**

"I am looking for Dr. Isabella Summers" Brooke said to the nurse at Wilmington's hospital reception.

"Dr. Summers is not at the hospital today" the nurse offered.

"Can you page her please? It is pretty urgent. It is personal. Tell her it is about Julian" Brooke explained.

"I can't page her for personal purposes. I can only page her if there is any medical emergency" the nurse explained apologetically.

"Please, it is very important. Why don't you call her and say it is about Julian and let her decide if she should come here or not? This is about her brother but unfortunately I don't have her number" Brooke insisted and while she knew her arguments weren't the best she hoped the nurse would be touched by her pleading eyes.

"Sorry, ma'am. I can't do it" she didn't budge.

"Do you know her? Do you know her kids? Julia, Austin, Logan and Jayden?" Brooke asked and the nurse nodded "Do you have any idea how she and the kids would be devastated because you didn't page or call her about her brother?" Brooke lied through her teeth. She knew it was a low move to bring up the kids but she had to try anything even a guilt trip.

"What's your name?" the nurse finally agreed to contact Isabella.

"Tell her is Brooklyn. Brooklyn Davis" Brooke smiled at the mention of her own name. The name that she used to despise was now her pride because she was _his_ Brooklyn.

* * *

The nurse informed Isabella of what Brooke had said and the older brunette left her house in a heartbeat. She knew Julian had left in the morning to meet Brooke in Tree Hill and if the brunette was asking to meet her at the hospital two hours later something must have gone wrong. Very wrong.

She didn't mention anything to her family. She said she was needed at the hospital and promised to be back as soon as possible. Nat wasn't very happy about her leaving their holiday to go to the hospital but she assured them that she wouldn't take too much long. At least she thought so.

As soon as she had entered Wilmington Treatment Center she recognized Brooke, who was in the waiting room by the reception. The younger brunette was even more beautiful in person than in the pictures and Isabella liked her at the first sight.

As soon as she had made her way to Brooke she asked "What happened to Jullian?" Isabella gasped as she looked around trying to find her brother.

"He is okay. Please, I am sorry I led you to think something was wrong with him but I need to talk to your brother and the only information I had about his whereabouts was your name. He had invited me to Thanksgiving but I wanted to surprise him" Brooke confessed blushing slightly because of her lie, seeing how desperate Isabella looked.

"So you didn't meet Julls yet?" Isabella asked recovering her breath as Brooke shook her head shyly.

"I am Isabella, call me Iz or Lizzy" she offered feeling with a small smile.

"Brooklyn Davis" Brooke answered shaking the hand Isabella offered.

"So why don't we go to my house and wait for him to come back? He had to run some last time errands but I guess he will be home soon" she invited not revealing Julian's plans to Brooke. They clearly wanted to surprise each other and she wouldn't spoil their plans. She would let Brooke think that Julian hadn't been to Tree Hill and also let Julian in the dark about Brooke's presence. She could only imagine how surprised he would be when he saw the brunette at their house. Surely the disappointment for not having found Brooke would be long forgotten.

Isabella called Nat to tell her about what happened and about her plan while Brooke was following her car. Nat also thought that was the best thing to do to keep their meeting special. Both sisters were actually excited that the in love couple had the same idea and they both thought that from today on Julian would finally have someone in his life. Unfortunately they couldn't be more wrong about the day outcome.

* * *

Julian had been driving for a couple of hours now. He had tried to find the house with the red door that he had read in the book. Brooke didn't say if she had bought a new house or if she was moving to her childhood's house. The book didn't provide much details except that her house was in a very wealth neighborhood and the red door.

But he hadn't been able to track down the house and decided that looking for Karen's café, the only public place in addition to Tric that had been mentioned in the book.

This one wasn't too hard to find and in no time he was entering the cozy café. It remembered him of Villa's and it remembered him of Brooke. He could imagine her teen version working behind the counter or coming with her friends to taste the delicious food Lucas assured only his mother could cook.

Julian decided to enjoy the goods and let the many questions he had about Brooke's place for later. He wanted to feel like part of the life of the brunette he loved so much and he had actually hopes that she would come to have breakfast – or brunch if he considered the advanced hour in the morning.

He had made his order and ate the amazing food. Karen had served him and she looked just like the woman her son described in his book, even if she had not been a large part of it.

When he had finally gotten the check and was about to pay it, he finally asked Karen about Brooke and the answers weren't what he had expected; not even close.

* * *

Isabella had finally entered her driveway but Brooke preferred to stop her car some feet ahead to do not block the entrance to the driveway if someone else was outside. There were a lot of cars stopped in the surroundings of Isabella's house. Thanksgiving was definitely a time for the families to get together and she held a content smile in her face as she took the many packages she had in her rented car.

Isabella had waited for her in the doorstep and when she realized Brooke had packages she walked until the hazel-eyed brunette to help her.

"Why don't you stop your car just behind mine, Brooke?" Isabella suggested.

"Oh, it is okay here. I only got some things for the kids. It is not holiday for them if they don't get gifts. Also I didn't know if Julian and your husband were out and I didn't want to occupy their car spots" Brooke offered still not totally comfortable around the brunette in front of her.

"Actually neither of them is home but if you want you can stop there. It is okay with me and I am sure with them as well" Isabella had suggested but Brooke kindly declined the offer but accepted it when Isabella had offered to help her with the packages.

"You didn't need to worry about it. Julian had already spoiled them with loads of gifts ever since he arrived last Saturday" Isabella explained.

"I wanted to spoil them a bit of my own. Actually I am very anxious to meet them. Julian said amazing things about your family. The way he talks about you guys, especially the kids, is touching and I was excited to know all of you"

"We are also excited to meet you Brooke. Well, Nat, Dy and me at least. The kids don't know about you yet but I guess this is about to change" Isabella opened the door and the two brunettes were greeted by Nat.

"Brooke, this is Nathalie. Nat, this is Brooklyn" Isabella introduced the younger women giving room for Nat to reach for Brooke and also help her with the packages.

"Wow, is it Christmas already?" Nat asked impressed by the amount of packages Brooke had "It is great to finally meet you Brooke Davis. I have to confess that ever since we have arrived you are the only subject of all adults conversations" Nat completed as she hugged Brooke, who was surprised by the blond actions but not as much as by her words. That was definitely one of the things she loved about Julian. He had always talked about her to other people and by the warm reception she got from both his sisters she could only imagine he had had only good words about her. It made her feel appreciated and important to him.

"Oh Brooke, I forgot to say that our dear Nat is a little bit needing. She needs to touch people and to be touched as much as possible so she won't get depressed or feel unloved" Isabella smirked and Nat stuck her tongue to her big sister.

Brooke only smiled to the sisters' interaction. They really looked like the family Julian had described to her the many times they talked about them. They were very close, mocking and caring about each other all the time.

"Mom, mom, where is Uncle Jully?" Austin asked running into the living room and the moment Brooke saw him her eyes didn't leave the mini-Julian boy. He looked even more like Julian in person and had the same killing grin. Isabella would have her hands full with Austin when he was older.

"He went to run some errands but he will be here soon, hopefully. Go call your sister and brothers, I want you to meet a friend of Uncle Jully" Isabella kissed the forehead of her oldest son as he ran upstairs to hunt his siblings.

"Don't you think Austin looks just like me?" Nat asked looking for some support from outside. She had been frustrated to no end when all her nephews looked like everyone in the family except for her.

"Come on, Nat. Austin is the spitting image of Julls. Even a blind can see it. Don't you think Brooke?" Isabella turned to Brooke that was being captivated by the house and its family's environment. It was indeed special and that's why Julian loved to be there. The portraits spread in the walls, the furniture, the kids' noise coming from upstairs, the friendly and natural way both sisters acted around her. She didn't want to leave anymore. She wanted to be in the middle of the ordinary family that seemed as happy as they could be. She had realized that happiness, true happiness, could be found especially in the small and ordinary facts of life and that was what she wanted for Julian and her.

One by one the children entered the room. Julia holding Jayden with some difficulty as the thirteen months old was already too heavy for her to carry. Isabella quickly helped her eldest child, taking Jayden in her arms and turning to Brooke again.

"So guys, this is Brooke. She is a friend of Uncle Jully and she is going to spend the holiday with us" Isabella added.

"Hey Brooke" Julia and Austin said almost simultaneously walking up to the brunette that was mesmerized by the adorable children in front of her.

Logan had been distracted by the many packages that were in the coffee table close to Brooke and ignoring the brunette he walked towards the many boxes.

"Presents!!!! Presents!!!!" the two year old jumped and yelled clapping his small hands together.

"Logan. Don't be rude. Go hug Aunt Brooke first. I don't know if there are gifts for you if you are this rude" Isabella warned her boy and he complied shyly walking towards Brooke and stretching his hand for her.

"I hope there are some for the adults as well" Nat winked to her ashamed nephew that was blushing in an attempt to offer him some support.

"Nat!!!" Isabella smiled rolling her eyes.

"Don't worry, I got you and Isabella some C/B originals" Brooke chuckled softly. She wanted that for her. She wanted the whole family.

"Did Uncle Jully invite you?" Julia asked curious

"Yes, he did but I said I wasn't coming to surprise him" Brooke answered the little girl offering a big smile at the mention of the man she loved and that man that could give her such a loving and adorable family.

Nat and Isabella caught the brunette's expression changing at the mention of their brother. The way Brooke gave attention to each of the kids and the way she talked about Julian had captured the siblings' hearts and as they exchanged reassuring and soft looks they knew that Brooke was indeed the one for Julian. At least for them she perfectly fit the job.

The whole family talked for about half hour, drinking some juice. The kids were anxious to open the presents and Brooke didn't want to torture the innocent little ones and had offered to start opening the gifts.

* * *

Julian had been disheartened by Karen's words. He couldn't believe Brooke had lied to him like that. He thought he was going to throw up as the woman told him about Haley, Nathan and Jamie and how Brooke had been there for them the whole time.

Actually he had thought in the past couple of weeks about the possibility of Brooke rejecting him. But in his worst guess she would never lie to him like that. She would admit that she couldn't do it with him or that she wouldn't be in a relationship or that she just didn't love him back. He could handle being rejected though he was sure it would have broken his heart but he couldn't handle deceived lies. Was everything she said him untrue? Had she lied about everything to him?

Karen tried to convince him otherwise but it was no use. The woman told him that Brooke would never lie to someone like that and if she had confessed she loved him, she actually did no matter what the facts showed. The brunette could see in his eyes how much he cared about Brooke and how he was devastated to know the truth.

She loved Brooke like a daughter and she knew the damage her own son had done to the selfless girl that captured her heart. She wanted Brooke to be happy and maybe Julian was the guy that would finally give the cheerful brunette what she deserved so much. Karen asked Julian to do not jump on conclusions. She had told him that Haley and Nathan had been said about it not longer than two weeks ago and that she was sure that it had been very important to Brooke's final decision but the raven haired man didn't budge. He was too hurt and disappointed to believe anything else.

He thanked Karen for the amazing food and for telling him the truth about the facts and left the café leaving a very concerned Karen behind him.

* * *

"Hi, Hales" Lucas greeted his friend on his phone holding the basketball he had be shooting for the past twenty minutes "How is Thanksgiving preparation dinner going?"

"_It is okay. It is only Nathan, Jamie and me. Brooke had traveled to Wilmington"_ his friend explained and he frowned.

"What is she doing there?" he asked with a puzzled face that his friend couldn't see.

"_I finally talked to her yesterday, Lucas. I have been worried about her because well, she wasn't being herself in these last weeks and she finally confessed that she is love with someone and he loves her back. She decided to go after him and fight for him. I am sorry_" Haley said straight to the point. She had been talking to Lucas a lot in the past weeks about his feelings for Brooke. The broody blond had confessed to her that he wanted to fight for Brooke. After pursuing a relationship with Peyton for so long he had realized that he never loved someone like he loved Brooke.

He had realized that he had fought for the wrong girl all those years and ever since he and the blond had broken up he hadn't thought about anyone else but Brooke. Actually he had been thinking about his first girlfriend even before Peyton and he had called it quits. After thinking about his chances with the brunette for months he had finally opened his heart to Haley about how he felt about Brooke and his best friend couldn't have been more supportive to the idea of Cheery and Broody reconnecting.

She had promised to talk to Brooke about it and see if the brunette still held some sort of feelings towards the blond but she had also told him that she would never play the matchmaker to her two friends because she didn't want anyone to be hurt especially because of her. She would talk to Brooke to figure out how her love life was and give him Lucas the go-ahead he needed. Except that there wouldn't have any go-ahead for Lucas and Brooke.

"I guess I am too late so" he heavily sighed. Of course Brooke had moved on. They had broken up almost five years ago and it would be too arrogant and even selfish to expect that Brooke still held the same feelings they shared so long ago. But he still had hope. He thought that if his feelings had resisted time and a long empty relationship with Peyton, maybe hers had survived too.

He thanked Haley for letting him know about Brooke and offered his best wishes in her pursuit of being happy with the man she loved after all nobody deserved to be happier than his Pretty Girl.

He had let go of the ball he was holding and sat in the bleachers. His last hope to have the woman he had loved for so many years, even though he was unaware of this fact for most of this time, was vanished. He would never have a new chance with the woman of his life and he didn't know if he could settle for any less. He had settled for Peyton for three years and a half and he was sure he couldn't take one more day of that. He was also sure that he would never love someone like he loved Brooke and maybe no other women would love him as the brunette had loved him back in those years. He had wasted his happiness ticket and it desolated him to know that maybe for good.

* * *

Julian had been rambling in Dylan's car in Tree Hill ever since he left Karen's. He couldn't believe Brooke had the heart to do that to him. Actually the lack of heart he thought. He had been anything but honest to her since the very beginning when their cars crashed. He had opened his life and heart up to her like he had never did in his life. He had done everything he could to make her happy in these few days they spent together. He had allowed his heart to develop feelings that he had avoided his whole life, though he was not sure if he would be able to stop those feelings if he wanted.

He gave everything he had to her and he thought she had done the same to him. He thought she had been as much honest with him and that she couldn't resist to her feelings as much as he couldn't resist to his. But he was wrong. Brooke Davis had lied and deceived him just like that. He felt an idiot; he felt a fool and he realized that his sisters were right in their first assumptions. He was enchanted by the brunette. She had worked her spell on him and he had been blind to the truth that was just in front of his eyes. Brooke Davis would never fall in love with him.

He didn't think some of his perceptions of her were wrong. She was indeed sweet, beautiful and strong but she didn't love him. And he couldn't say if she had lied to him because she was a coward that couldn't admit her lack of feelings or if she had played with him all the time. He couldn't even blame her for not falling in love with him because they had agreed to have some fun together before she left, nothing else. But she still lied though his heart told him to believe in Karen when she told him Brooke wouldn't do it to anyone and that he needed to listen to her side of the story, his head had been adamant: Brooke Davis shattered his heart as if didn't mean anything.

His driving brought him to the river court that he had read in the book but in that moment he wasn't unable to have any coherent thought in this head and actually recognize the place. He had decided to step out of the car to easy his mind before hitting the road back to his sisters' house. He was in no condition to drive safely in the probably crowded road with last time travelers.

He had seen the abandoned basketball in the ground but had failed to notice the equally miserable man sat in the bleachers with his head buried in his hands. Julian didn't even know how to make a shot but still he grabbed the ball and bounced it against the floor.

Lucas who had been so lost in his own thoughts that he didn't realize the actions around him. He could only think about Brooke and how he wished there was something he could do to have the brunette back in his life, especially as his girlfriend.

It wasn't until Julian totally lost control of the ball in his hands and almost hit Lucas that both men noticed each other.

"Sorry man, I didn't see you here" Julian said and Lucas just shook his head slightly and waved his hand showing Julian it was okay.

"I guess the ball belongs to you?" the dark haired man asked and once again Lucas only nodded. Julian could say the blond guy wasn't in the best of his days either and feeling a sense of solidarity he sat a few feet down by Lucas' side.

Lucas looked up to the man that kept his eyes in the calm river in front of them and he could also say the stranger was at least uneasy. Lucas could swear that at some point Julian wiped some tears though he hadn't fully looked at Julian's face to confirm it.

There they sat, having opposite feelings about the same woman but having the same outcome in their hearts: brokenness. They didn't exchange another word until Lucas finally stood up, gathering his stuff and mumbling some farewell words.

Not much later Julian also left the peaceful place and headed to Wilmington. He definitely needed his nephews' love now more than he thought he would never need again in his life. In the way to Isabella's house he had promised himself that Brooke Davis had been the first woman to break his heart and that she would be the last one as well.

* * *

The kids had loved Brooke for the three hours she had spent in the house as much as Nat and Isabella. The older woman excused herself to start preparing some of the food to the dinner. Nat had convinced Brooke that they didn't need help and that she would actually help if she could distract the children.

Brooke had happily agreed and they moved to the porch with Julia, Austin and Logan as Jayden had been sleeping. They had been playing for almost an hour when Julian arrived. He had stopped the car in the driveway but hadn't yet lifted his head to look to his nephews in the porch.

The moment Brooke saw the man she had been waiting for almost four hours heading to the house her heart skipped a beat and a broad smile formed in her face. She had goose bumps all over her body and all she wanted to do was to run, jump in his arms and kiss him endlessly. She had only realized now how much she truly missed him and how much he meant to her as she laid eyes on him. It was like if the meaning of her life had changed simply because of his presence.

Julia also realized her Uncle walking in their direction and she couldn't hold her feelings like Brooke did "Uncle Jully!!!!! Where were you?" she yelled and ran to meet him.

Julian looked up to see his beloved niece but the moment his eyes captured the figure behind the running girl he stopped on his tracks. Julia reached him and had hugged his waist being followed by her as noisy and excited brothers but Julian had barely acknowledged them, keeping his eyes stuck on Brooke who was also going in his direction with the most beautiful dimpled smile in her face. The moment the thought crossed his mind he reprehended it. There was nothing else beautiful about the woman that was currently walking towards him.

She had stopped just a couple of feet away from him still holding the same smile in her face "Hey" her raspy voice invaded his ears and he almost lost it but the words Karen said were still resonating in his head.

"How do you dare to come here?" he asked disgusted and the smile in her face dropped and the tears started to shimmer in her eyes. Her nightmare was coming true.

"Julia, please take your brothers and go inside" he turned to his niece that was surprised to the stern voice that she had never seen her Uncle using.

"What are you doing here?" he asked coldly and his eyes were even more icing than his words. It sent shivers, not good ones, to Brooke's spine. There was only one explanation to his behavior. He had found the truth and unfortunately it hadn't been by her.

"You invited me to come, remember?" she weakly asked as she tried to keep the tears in their ducts. She didn't want to cry. Not yet at least. Not in front of him.

"Get out!!! I don't want to ever see you again. You were so afraid of being used by me but I am the one who feels disposable now. I am the one who feels unloved and betrayed. I am the one deluded here. Get out!" he yelled and the tears fell in his now hurt face.

She tried to explain but he didn't let her and she actually didn't have enough strength to fight harder. The disgust, coldness, disdain, the pain she could see in his eyes and especially his tears had destroyed anything she had in her. She simply stopped trying to explain and the tears that threatened to fall finally made their way down on her porcelain face. She didn't say anything, she only cried as he walked past her turning around to say his last words to her.

"That's why, Brooke. That's why I hate how movies always end. They are living reminders that such happiness doesn't exist in real life" Julian confessed and walked away. He hated the end of the movies and people obsession for reaching the highest prize because he knew in real life, at least in his; there was no prize in the end. Only pain. He should have learned it from his parents' experience. Damn it! He had learned from his parents and made a decision in his life. Brooke Davis wasn't part of plan. Fall in love with her wasn't part of the plan. He should have stopped it. He knew there was a reason for him to be like he was. It would always be simply like that for him.

The noise of his screams attracted Isabella and Nat to the porch. They witnessed his last words to her and as he passed by them Nat and Isabella walked to Brooke. The brokenhearted brunette stood there as her tears fell uncontrollably and her whole body trembled. When the sisters finally reached for her she had fallen on Isabella's arms and sobbed hard. Isabella nodded her head to show Nat she would take care of Brooke as she saw her younger's sister confused face. She knew Nat didn't know how to handle it and none of them had no idea of what happened to Brooke and Julian especially because they had never seen their brother treating someone like that. Not even their parents who certainly deserved a few harsh words.

"What the hell, Julian?" Nat asks as soon as she entered the house to get Brooke some water. That was the only thing she thought to help the brunette she just met but immediately adored.

"What?" he yelled but didn't look to his sister. He had his head buried in his hands and the tears falling from his eyes to the floor. He couldn't believe what had just happened. He couldn't describe how much it hurt.

"What did you do to that girl? She looks devastated, she is crying off her eyes in the yard. She can't even make it to her car. The man I know, my brother, would never do that to someone" Nat confessed looking as disgusting to Julian as he did to Brooke just some minutes ago.

"This is none of your business and those are the seeds she sowed" he bitterly added while he could finally get Brooke's smell in the arm chair that she had sat for almost two hours. Her smell impregnated in the furniture, in his nostrils but mainly in his heart.

"When did you become this heartless man?" Nat asked as she walked to the kitchen to get Brooke's water.

"Where is Brooke?" Julia asked entering the living room. She was afraid of her uncle for the first time in her life and she didn't know how to approach him.

"She left Honey and she is not coming back, but don't worry, Uncle Jully is here" Julian answered with a tender smile bringing his niece to his lap while the tears continued to fall.

"But I like her" Julia lamented and seeing her Uncle crying the little girl also released her own tears.

"Yeah, Honey, me too" he confessed as he held his niece for his life.

* * *

_AN: So Brooke lied to Julian and we will find out all the details in the next chapter._

_We know how much Brooke is afraid of falling in love and how she avoids it the best she can and in this she had actually lied to him as an attempt to escape her feelings. But guess what? She hadn't been able to let it go. She loves Julian with her life and she doesn't care if it took her one day or a hundred. I couldn't go without any drama but it won't last too much, I promise._

_I want to thank the many many reviews you guys gave me. Please, don't be disappointed about this chapter, next one is even 'worse' but also very emotional (and tears inducing), just like you asked ;) and I have no pleasure on keeping them separate in this fic because they are perfect together but if I kept Brooke on character so I have to acknowledge her fears and how she screws up because of this._

_So thanks to MaryOTH; Kayla; kaos2405; CheeryGirl; Sab; sb1218; Y0uNMcK33; Elilo; Artemi; vampiregurl; Syrine; Love me some Julian and SouthernBellBrooke. To say that I am exultant for your reviews is an understatement._

_So I talk to you in a couple of days._

_xoxo_

_Babi  
_


	24. No Julian & No Brooke: No Juke Pt 2

**Lying Helpless in Her Arms**

**No Juke – Part II**

* * *

Isabella had been holding Brooke for the past twenty minutes and the sobs and tears only intensified. The water Nat brought was of no use and with the help of the two sisters Brooke finally made it to the porch again.

The moans of pain and the sobs haunted Julian that was just by the other side of the wall. He had asked Julia and the boys to go upstairs because he didn't want them to listen to Brooke crying. _He_ didn't want to listen to Brooke crying. No matter how mad, disappointed and hurt by her he was now, he still loved her. His heart still told him that he had to protect and save her. But he couldn't forget her lies.

_

* * *

Two Weeks Ago_

"_Hey, Tutor Mom" she greeted her friend._

"_They called us, Brooke, they did" Haley said excitedly._

"_What?" Brooke asked copying her friend's tone._

"_The Knicks. Nathan signed with the Knicks, we are moving to New York in ten days!!!" Haley announced happily._

"_Oh, God, Haley, that's great" Brooke exclaimed happy for her friend._

"_I know right? We are going to be close again, Tigger. I can't wait! Jamie is jumping like crazy in front of me. He wants to talk to you."_

"_Put my godson on the line" Brooke said with a smile plastered on her face. She was happy for her friend. When Haley had called earlier that week she had been less than enthusiastic but this was great for Nathan. Knicks was a great team and it would be amazing for them, especially for Jamie._

"_Are you happy, Aunty Brooke? We are going to be neighbors!" he cheerfully exclaimed to his godmother._

"_Oh, J-Luke, that will be great!!!" she answered teary listening to her godson happy and innocent voice._

"_Will you take me to Central Park? And the zoo? Are you going to dad's games with us?" he frenetically asked._

"_This and much more, little man" his godmother assured as she heard Haley asking to Jamie say bye because she needed to talk to Brooke. They said their byes and Brooke and Haley were back in conversation._

"_That's going to be very good, Haley" was all Brooke managed to say._

"_Don't take me wrong here, Brooke. But I've told you that we are finally living in the same city again and all you have to say for me is this? What's wrong, Tigger?" Haley asked suspiciously._

"_Well, there's the catch, Tutor Mom. I am moving back to Tree Hill. Tomorrow actually. It was supposed to be a surprised but now I guess it is only a bad joke" Brooke sighed._

"_You've got be kidding me" Haley retorted._

"_I guess our timing is just this perfect" Brooke sadly added._

"_Well, maybe now you have a reason to stay? Actually Nathan and I already fell in love with a house in the Hamptons, I guess we will be moving out in the weekend before Thanksgiving if everything goes fine" Haley offered half jokingly._

"_Though one of the biggest reasons was to finally be a godmother to Jamie and be close to my friends, actually I have more reasons" Brooke partially explained._

"_Why are you moving here, Brooke?" Haley asked with a concern on her voice that was so typical of her. She was always worrying about all of them and only this already comforted Brooke, though it only made her decision harder._

"_Because Victoria is here. The craziness of the big city is here. I want some peace in my life, Haley" she breathed out frustrated and Haley could sense how tiring it was being for her friend._

"_You know Victoria could follow you even in hell, don't you? What are you really running from, Brooke?" she finally asked. She knew there was more than she was saying._

"_Actually I am running. Maybe, sort of but I am only running to get my dream. I am planning to adopt a baby" Brooke confessed with a small but honest smile._

"_Oh, Brooke, that's great!!" Haley excitedly answered._

"_Yeah, since the last time I've visited you I knew that was what I was missing on my life" she admitted._

"_But why adoption?" Haley asked and Brooke couldn't help but remember that Julian asked the exact same question._

"_Because getting a sperm donor would only complicate things. Media would find out eventually that I am pregnant and a lot of rumors would start and thanks to Angelina, adoption actually makes the opposite. It is good publicity though I am not looking for good publicity" Brooke bittersweet added._

"_That's not what I mean, you know it Brooke" Haley said._

"_I know Hales, but until when am I supposed to wait for this guy to come up? I know I am not old and I know I have a long way ahead of me but that's what I want now. I want to have my family. Now, not in five years" she sighed frustrated. Why everybody judged her?_

"_And don't you think your baby deserves a father?" Haley questioned. She knew how much a father was important and she was sure Brooke knew it as well._

"_Of course it does and if I find the right man for me along the way, it will have but I won't delay my happiness because of testosterone" Brooke added frustrated._

"_And why does New York can't allow you to have a baby?" Haley soft voice showed Brooke that she wasn't judging or telling her out of it. She only wanted to understand what was happening on her friend's life and Brooke was thankful for that. She needed to talk about it with someone that actually knew her._

"_Let me see where I can start… From the papz chasing my baby? Or maybe for Victoria trying to kill it on every chance she has? Or maybe the crazy life this city leads you to live? Or maybe because I wanted my child to have a place like we had the river court and go to a small high school, without a crazy guy shooting on people" Brooke enlisted._

"_You do know there was actually a shooting here, right?"_

"_Exactly. That's the sort of thing that happens only once in a lifetime in a city like Tree Hill. It already happened so I don't need to worry about it happening again for the next fifty years" Brooke reasoned._

"_You can't predict these things Brooke. They can happen here, on LA, on Tree Hill, on Texas or Alabama, anywhere" Haley reasoned back especially because she didn't want to believe she was throwing Jamie on a hell of life in New York. It couldn't be that bad, could it? Would the press hunt them as they hunted Brooke? She brushed the thoughts off of her head. She needed to focus on her very vulnerable friend now. She knew Brooke and she knew she was having second thoughts about it all. Probably because they won't be in Tree Hill for her._

"_I know but I miss what I had there. Tree Hill was the only place where I ever had a family and I want my child to have a family in addition to me" her voice cracked. If she wasn't giving a father to her baby, the least she could do was give it great relatives like Nathan and Haley._

"_My family is your family, Brooke. You are Jamie's godmother and he loves you and so do Nathan and I. But if coming back is what you want, you have my support. I'd just wish we could actually be close again. Nathan had let other contracts go because he knew Jamie and I would love to be around you" Haley guiltily confessed and she felt like she shouldn't do this to Brooke but she also felt her friend needed someone to show her how much she was important to them. _

"_And you are my family too, Haley, but I can't stay in New York" Brooke said with a mix of fear and regret on her voice which didn't escape Haley._

"_Is that the whole story, Brooke? Are you sure you didn't let anything out?", and Brooke knew it was coming. She knew it was possibly impossible to hide something from Haley. She just hope her friend would also sense that though she was about to lie, she couldn't talk about it either._

"_I want to start my own family, I want to adopt a baby and I want to raise it the best I can. That's the story Haley."_

"_Okay" Haley said still not convinced but doing what Brooke expected her to do. She knew there was more than the brunette was saying but for now she would let it go "I'll be there for you whatever it is what you are doing. I got your back." she added._

"_Thank you, Haley, it means a lot" Brooke breathed out relived._

"_That's what family does, honey and even though I'd prefer to help you raise your child there, close to us, this is your life and the important thing is that you are happy" Haley reassured her friend._

"_I can't really believe our timing" Brooke breathed out frustrated._

"_I can't either but now I need to get Jamie to school. I guess I talk to you tomorrow then?" Haley asked to see if Brooke was really having second thoughts about the whole thing and the answer her friend gave told her that she already made a decision._

"_I guess you do" Brooke weakly answered and the two friends said their goodbyes._

* * *

A week ago

_Jamie had been playing outside with his basketball when a man walked out of one of the houses across the street and observed the boy playing by himself. The young man walked towards the little blond boy._

"_Do you want to play?" he asked Jamie and the boy immediately stopped his motions, scared by the grownup approach._

_His mother and father had talked a lot about him talking to strangers and Jamie understood it perfectly._

"_My mom says I can't talk to strangers" Jamie said walking backwards._

"_She is absolutely right" the dark haired man added and he was walking away when the front door opened revealing Nathan._

_The stranger looked back at him and nodded his head to Nathan who looked at him concerned but quickly changed his mind. The guy looked like a good guy and he was walking to his car across the street._

"_Do you live there?" Nathan asked pointing to the house where the car was parked._

"_I just rented it, how about you?"_

"_I am thinking about buying it, a friend of us lives here and we are going to spend some days in her house until the house is ready"_

"_Thank you, Haley, you are a great friend" Brooke offered hugging her friend and heading to leave the house but the man outside with Nathan and Jamie made her stop in her tracks immediately. Maybe someday she would face her fears. But that day wasn't today so she turned on her heels back to the kitchen before he'd see her._

_Julian winced. He could swear he had heard her raspy voice and smelled her sweet smell but he was already used to have these nonsense feelings. He bid Jamie and Nathan and walked away; daydreaming about the woman he loved more by the second._

* * *

Two Hours Ago

"_I know this may sound weird and even suspicious but would you have Brooke's new address?" Julian asked as he handed Karen the money._

"_Brooke? As in Brooke Davis?" Karen asked confused._

"_The only and one Brooklyn Penelope Davis" he smiles a broad grin._

"_Have you tried her company in New York? That's the safest place to try" Karen offered trying not to give away too much information about Brooke to a stranger._

"_Yeah, I had been at Clothes over Bros headquarter and even met Victoria Davis but I mean Brooke's new address here in Tree Hill. She moved back almost two weeks ago" he clarified._

"_I guess you are confused. Brooke hasn't visited Tree Hill for almost two years now" Karen offered. The stranger seemed to know Brooke after all, especially if he met Victoria, which was never a pleasant experience she thought._

"_She has been keeping it under wraps because apparently Victoria Davis would never let her daughter to move back here. It seems like Brooke finally got enough of the controlling crazy woman and decided to start a new chapter of her life in her hometown" Julian explained sensing that maybe less people than he imagined knew about Brooke's whereabouts._

"_I can assure you Brooke didn't move here" Karen offered and she had just had the confirmation that the stranger and charming boy indeed knew Brooke. Only few people knew about the Davis women strained relationship._

"_Well I guess she decided to keep it a secret to more people than I first imagine. Would you have Haley James address so?"_

"_Actually Haley and her family are the ones that moved out. They just moved to New York. Nathan signed with the Knicks and Haley got some concerts to Christmas celebrations in the city. It is all over the news" Karen shared something that she was sure wouldn't put her family in risk._

"_What?" Julian breathed out, barely breathing actually._

"_They moved away to New York and that's why I am sure Brooke didn't move here. They are living with her until their house is ready. Haley called me just yesterday"_

"_You mean they are living at Brooke's apartment in Manhattan? In the penthouse?" Julian asked dumbfounded. He couldn't actually ask any important thing. How come Brooke was still living in New York? How come she never came to Tree Hill? Slowly his heart was breaking in millions of pieces as Karen confirmed where they were._

"_But she told me she was moving here. I helped her with her luggage. I called her a cab, I kissed her bye before she left to the airport" Julian muttered out of a trance._

_It all made sense in Karen's head now. Haley had called her exactly to share her concerns about Brooke. She had explained to the older brunette Brooke's state for the past two weeks and how she and Nathan had been worried about their formerly cheerful friend._

_That guy clearly had feelings for Brooke as Karen watched him breaking in front of her. Tears threatened to fall and actually fell and he hadn't even wiped them away. He was just dull and Karen knew that Brooke Davis running skills were probably in use again. That was the only explanation to the broken boy in front of her and the broken girl that Haley described that had done nothing but stay in her bedroom, sewing and crying. Karen had really realized how bad it was when Haley said Brooke didn't acknowledge even Jamie._

_She had been the one that convinced Haley that she should talk to Brooke. She couldn't allow the designer to shut her out. She had to make Brooke spill what had been making the brunette miserable because she had always tried to be alone when she was hurt, torturing herself with her pain and keeping it from everybody that cared about her. Karen assured Haley that they had have more than enough time and space for Brooke to open up and now she would have to force the dimpled girl to open up._

"_Well maybe she indeed planned to move here. Nathan had got the contract the other day and while they had been making some house hunting on internet in the cities that made offers to him, he had only found out they were moving to New York two weeks ago. If I know Brooke she gave up in her own plans because of Haley. She is just this selfless and kind hearted" Karen tried to prove to Julian that Brooke wouldn't just lie to him like that especially because if she didn't like the guy she would just be as clear as possible about it. And if she liked him, like Karen suspected, she would run but never lie to that extent._

_Julian didn't say anything. Truth to be told he barely listened to the words the woman was saying. He was trying to remember the many times they talked about Brooke's plans to come back. He remembered about the times Haley had called her but still he couldn't get over the fact that she had been in the same city as him all the time and had just let him in the dark about it._

"_Have a nice Thanksgiving" he muttered after long minutes of silence_

"_Talk to her, let her tell her side of the story. I am sure she had her reasons"_

"_I shouldn't have doubted what I read about her. I shouldn't have believed when she told she was in love with me" he mused; thinking about all the articles he had read in the gossip websites. All of them said how callous Brooke Davis was and how she never really cared about any guy. It was only about the guy of the moment._

"_She is not who they say. She is the person you think she is. Talk to her. She is probably only hurt and afraid and if she made it to the point to confess her feelings, I guess she is just afraid to handle them. This is more than she did in a long while" Karen softly offered but this was just overwhelming. Julian couldn't process any thought or word that was being told to him. He needed to leave. He needed to run. He needed to get away of this world where Brooke Davis wasn't the woman he thought. He needed to get rid of the stains that were being drawn over her image in his head._

"_I gotta go. Thanks for the brunch" he turned around and left._

* * *

Isabella didn't know what else to do. It was like Brooke couldn't listen to a word of what she was saying. "Honey I don't know what happened. I know Julian is probably very hurt. I have never seen him so cold and enraged but he loves you, Brooke. He hasn't talked about anything else ever since he arrived here. He had planned his trip to Tree Hill to meet you because he couldn't go another day without seeing you. He loves you, dear" she soothed to a still crying hard Brooke who sobbed even harder as Isabella explained where Julian had spent his morning.

"I knew it would break him. That's all I do anyways" she mumbled amidst her tears and it broke Isabella's and Nat's hearts. The girl was as damaged as Julian had reported and now she had even more reasons to be broken.

"Honey, he loves you. Everything will be fine. It is probably a misunderstanding" Nat reached for Brooke's hand squeezing it.

"He would be the perfect guy to me. He would be the perfect father to my baby girl. I screwed up. I screwed up and it hurts. It hurts a lot" she sobbed and even drooled. Nathalie couldn't resist but breakdown a bit too. She had never seen someone so broken and so in love. She couldn't understand how it happened so fast to Brooke and Julian but they loved each other as if they had nurtured such feelings ever since they were little kids, just like Isabella and Dylan did.

"_Julian!! Julian!!! I am so sorry"_ he could hear her yelling outside and it scared him. Just a blind couldn't see how in pain Brooke Davis was now. If she was in such pain then why had she lied to him? Why had she avoided him for two weeks? Why hadn't she acknowledged him in any way in these days?

He wanted nothing more than get the door that was separating them down and take the brunette in his arms and kiss her tears and fears away. He wanted to hold her close to his chest and confess his profound love to her and fix everything she did wrong but something was holding him back. Something kept him rooted in the living room.

" Julian!!!! Julian!!!! I am so sorry" She wasn't calling for him to come to rescue her. Her tone wasn't like that. It was purely desperation and pain. It was as if her life was being torn and her cry of pain was his name. He was the only one that could fix her. He was the only one that could save her for good. He was the only man she would love in her life for as long as she lived. But she had been destroyed by her own actions. Not even for one moment she thought that Julian had overreacted or had been unfair to her. She thought he did exactly what he should have done. She thought she didn't deserve forgiveness not because of what she did was that much wrong but because she had deeply hurt him in the process. And for that pain she was unforgivable.

She knew that Julian had never fell in love for any reason that she still had to find out. She knew he was, like her, hiding from feelings. He was running and she believed him when he said he never did it before. He was innocent and pure in the love department and she had crushed his heart the same way her own hurt had been crushed so many years ago when she was still innocent and pure to love.

She had probably not only broken his heart for now but for good. Just like hers had been shattered. She had loved Lucas. She knew what love was and she had no doubt that what she felt for the blond brooding guy was intense, deep and true but it seemed to be nothing compared to what she felt for Julian. When she found out about Lucas and Peyton betrayal or when she broke up with him to anticipate the heartbreak she would face the moment he realized Peyton loved him, she had cried, she had hurt, she had thought she would never breath normally again. It had been an ever bigger pain than the one caused by her uncaring parents but now it felt like too small compared to the pain she had not only in her chest but in her whole body.

And for that reason alone she knew neither she nor Julian would ever love someone else in their lives and she felt guilty. He had lost his chance in love because of her. She had destroyed what could have given him the kids that she was sure he had dreamed about someday. As this last thought crossed her head she couldn't control herself and detaching herself from Isabella's embrace she leaned in the porch's fence and threw up in the green grass.

"Oh my God" Nat moved her hand to her mouth. She wasn't disgusted by Brooke's vomit. She was shocked at how much the small brunette was hurting. The younger woman's sobs were so intense that she coughed many times and now it was just too much for her stomatch

"I broke him. I broke him for good" Brooke muttered as Isabella pulled the broken girl's hair back. "Go get a cloth, a napkin, anything Nat" she asked and her baby sister obeyed leaving the balcony.

The moment she entered the house she had seen Julian in a just miserable state. No he wasn't throwing up or sobbing but she had never seen him her brother like that. Not when their father had uttered the lowest and most hateful words towards Julian. Not when Julian had found their mother in the bathtub bleeding, had nearly committed suicide. No, Julian had never looked as devastated as he looked now. He was only a shell of man. He looked like a ghost. He didn't blink and his mouth was ajar open. His eyes were blank and dark. He looked pale as if no blood ran in his veins anymore and at each time Brooke cried his name or just moaned his whole body winced.

He hadn't realized when she passed by him to the kitchen neither when she came back. She quickly moved to help Isabella with Brooke because she knew the two sisters would also have their hands full with Julian when they were finished with Brooke and they would maybe finally understand what had happened to break them apart like that. But one thing she knew for sure. They loved each other intensely. That was the only explanation for their current condition. Each one destroyed in their own way.

* * *

Julian heard Brooke throwing up and his heart and soul just broke in that moment. He had done that to her. He had broken the woman he loved with his life. He hadn't given her a chance to explain what happened. He hadn't listened to Karen's reasoning. He hadn't look at her eyes when she saw him walking towards the house. The eyes that showed much love and adoration. He hadn't thought that she was there, with his nephews – the most important people in his life – probably taking care and playing with them. He hadn't wondered for one moment why she was there, with his family, with the most beautiful dimpled smile she ever plastered in her face just like he had dreamed about.

He was an idiot. He was a jerk. The woman he loved had come not from twenty miles away but from New York. She had abandoned the only family she had to be with him. She had come to be with him maybe because she loved him and he hadn't even given a chance to listen to her words. Maybe she came to confess her lies. Maybe she came to tell him the whole story. Maybe she came to confess her love. Maybe she came because she wanted to be with him for good, just like he wanted to be with her until the skies fell down and the world didn't exist anymore. He wanted it and maybe that was what she wanted too.

And why would it matter if she had lied to him? If she wanted to be with him, if she wanted to apologize, if she wanted to pursue her dreams with him by her side, why would it matter what she had done two weeks ago? Wasn't she now in front of him, with her eyes shining of love and adoration? Weren't those eyes pleading him to believe at her during his outburst? Why didn't he see it then? Why didn't he realize that she wasn't a heartless bitch that had played mercilessness with his heart? Why didn't he realize that if she didn't love him back she wouldn't stand there, surrounded by his kids? Why didn't he trust the woman that he had been with for only a few days but still enough to know her soul? And her soul, he had no doubt, was the most beautiful he had ever seen. But his rage had blinded him.

Not in his all life he had imagined someone would cry that hard for him. He had always thought he wasn't worthy and just when the kids came and he devoted his life to them as much as his job allowed that he realized that at least someone would be sad when he was gone. That someone would miss him when he wasn't in this world anymore. But the love his sisters and nephews nurtured to him wasn't the same as a stranger could give. Somehow he felt that their love was the natural way of things and that his parents didn't love him because they weren't able to get over his insignificance and the girls and the kids probably out of mercy were. At some point Julian stopped blaming his parents for their lack of love and started to blame himself. He was just a nobody. A nobody that thought no one would ever love him but he was wrong. He could still be a nobody but this nobody had captured the heart of the most special woman ever born. He had got the biggest prize a man could ever have and he wasted it.

He broke the woman he loved and that loved him back and now how could he just ignore the pain he caused her? Now how could he fix the mess he did on his own? Now how could he find a way back to her heart when he felt he had shattered it?

* * *

As Isabella cleaned Brooke's mouth, while the petite brunette still cried, Nathalie had whispered in her ear that Julian was no better than the girl they were helping. As much as Nat tried to speak low, Brooke had still heard it and a new batch of hot tears found its way down.

"I have to go" she said and for the first time since the two sisters had found her she sounded determined and unaffected. "I am sorry for all the pain I brought to your family. I never wanted to hurt him. I am sorry. Kiss the kids goodbye for me" Brooke said as she grabbed her purse that had been abandoned in the porch ever since she came to play with them earlier in the morning.

"You are in no condition to drive, Brooke" Isabella offered surprised by the sudden change in the brunette's features. It was like Brooke had come to realization of something and had decided to go away just like that.

Brooke indeed couldn't drive. Her hands were trembling and only she knew how hard it was for her to stay stood there in front of the two girls she wanted nothing more than to call sisters too. Their brother was just as miserable and still they were there for her because they knew she had no one in that moment.

"I am okay" she tried to convince the siblings but the moment she took the glass of water to wash her mouth from the vomit it slipped in her shaky hand and fell in the floor being shattered in millions of pieces. Her hands weren't steady enough to hold a glass and being a doctor Isabella knew Brooke couldn't drive at all.

"Where are you going? I'll drive you" the other brunette suggested and though Brooke refused help at first, Isabella adamant words and insistence had finally convinced the designer that her life could be at stake if she drove like that. Not that Brooke cared about herself but she couldn't do that to Julian and to the family that was waiting for her in New York. She couldn't be that selfish so she accepted Isabella's help and so they left in Brooke's rented car while Nat stood there watching as they drove away.

Julian who had been startled by the breaking glass finally came from the trance he had been ever since the woman he loved so much had cried her eyes and soul by the other side of the wall. He tried to regain some strength to be able to stand up and it took him some minutes to finally make it. When he opened the door Nat was turning around to get inside.

"Where is she?" he uttered above a whisper but he didn't look to Nat. He looked away to where Brooke probably was and a single tear rolled down his face as he realized he was late.

"She is gone, Julls. She is gone" Nathalie said and walked inside the house. She hoped that the kids hadn't listened or seen any of that because she wasn't sure if at age twenty-four she would ever forget the pain in Brooke's eyes and desperate sobs; let alone the kids.

Julian stood there looking at the horizon. _She is gone._ And he knew he didn't have strength to fight for her. Not when he broke her that much. Not when he failed to her even worse than he had failed his parents. He knew what they had had been destroyed by his inability to love.

_

* * *

AN: So the truth finally surfaced. Brooke never moved to Tree Hill. She had lied to Julian. While when she shared her plans with him they were true; when he helped her with her bags in the cab to the airport she already knew they would only take a ride and come back to her apartment. She couldn't move to Tree Hill if Naley was moving to New York. They were one of the main reasons why she was leaving in the first place. And the biggest reasons of all had turned from a certain plan into a sea of doubts and insecurities: the adoption._

_After she met him and fell in love with him her original plan didn't seem right anymore for the many reasons we've seen her thinking and sharing with Haley. So why would she move away if her friends wouldn't be there and she was probably giving the adoption up?_

_But just because she had decided to stay it didn't mean she was ready to be with Julian. She knew she could trust him to say she changed her mind and that if she had asked him some time apart he would agree but for any reason she couldn't explain – probably fear that _**she**_ wouldn't resist if he knew she was still a couple of blocks away of him – she preferred to lie and she knew her lie would break him as they did._

_Julian had been so transparent and honest about his feelings and opinions on her that she knew lying and ignoring their love confessions would hurt him a lot and she knew he hated lies. Someone as honest as Julian couldn't forgive lies and she was right._

_That's why he was so cold when he had seen her. It was still too raw, he had just found out the truth and he couldn't face her. He blurted what he felt in the moment and in that moment he didn't want to see her or to have her close to his family._

_But as minutes passed and he finally started to see through the facts – and the biggest fact was how devastated she was just by the other side of wall – it made him realize that Isabella was probably right in the comment she made earlier that week: Brooke was afraid and running. She never meant to hurt Julian and he hadn't even heard the story and he feels horrible about it._

_Thanks to all the review I got this week from Kayla; Sab, Artemi; kaos2405; Syrine; BrulianBreytonBrucasBrouth; Y0uNMcK33; SouthernBellBrooke; vampiregurl; Love me some Julian; sb1218FriendlyGirl333. I am so excited to get all these reviews!!!! Please keep them coming._ and

_Talk to you next week,_

_-B._


	25. No Julian & No Brooke: No Brookie

**Lying Helpless in Her Arms**

**Chapter 24 - No Brookie

* * *

**

Isabella had taken Brooke to the airport and that's when she finally understood what happened when she questioned why Brooke wanted to go to New York instead of Tree Hill.

"I don't live there. I have never left New York but I was afraid to say it to Julian. I knew he would give me as much time and space I needed but I couldn't trust myself in this situation. I had everything prepared to move away. I was going to live in the house next door's to my godson and I was going to adopt my baby girl but two days before my departure my best friend called me saying that they were moving to the Hamptons because her husband had signed with Knicks. How would I move to be with them if they were moving to New York?" Brooke explained as they sat in a cafe. Brooke had totally calmed down in the way to the airport but the pain in her features was still very evident.

"Is that the reason of all the heartbreak?" Isabella asked surprised by how simple things were and how they could be handled easily given that both brunettes were so in love with each other.

"Julian hates lies. I should have said him I changed my mind. He didn't even find out by me. Someone probably told him I didn't live in Tree Hill for almost five years" Brooke sniffled trying hard to control her tears before they fell down again.

"He didn't even listen to you?" an even more shocked Isabella asked. That was so unlike of Julian. He had always let people tell their side of the stories. He had never been judgmental or fast to jump to conclusions. Something seemed off still.

"I wouldn't either if I were him. He is probably thinking I never really planned to move to Tree Hill. But I still have my offer approved to buy the house. I still have the tickets I bought. I swear I was leaving but then I couldn't. My friends wouldn't be there anymore and neither my dreams." She confessed and this time a few tears rolled down her face. She lifted her head and blinked them away, wiping the ones she couldn't hold and offering a small and resigned smile as she looked up to Isabella again.

"You are so not going to a hotel. The kids adored you and I am sure I will be in a ticklish position to explain them why you left all of sudden when you promised them to have dinner with us" Isabella demanded. She knew it was horrible to use the guilt trip on Brooke when she was already so broken but she wouldn't let her brother and the woman that loved him to be apart because of something that stupid.

"I can't Isabella. I am sure I will find somewhere to stay" Brooke disagreed immediately.

"Brooke, I know you are feeling bad now but don't let the kids down, I beg you. Julian is a mess, Nat is a mess, you are a mess, I will be a mess with all this mess. If you don't come tonight this dinner will be like a funeral. I know I have no right to ask you this but please come. I am sure Julian won't talk to you if you don't want and I won't let him treat you bad, I promise" Isabella used the best of her pleading faces and looks to convince Brooke "For the kids" she completed and Brooke only nodded after giving it some thought. Maybe Julian would give her a chance to explain. Maybe they could have a civil conversation. For the kids she was sure he would at least treat her politely.

"So let's go, I need to start cooking otherwise we won't eat anything. Nat is as useless in a kitchen as she is piloting an air plane. She can only stir pots and peel vegetables" Isabella chuckled lightly to which Brooke answered with a small smile.

In their way to the car Isabella called out the shorter brunette "Brooke. Trust me, you will get over it. It was just a big misunderstanding and a small lie. I am sure Julls will reconsider" she assured Brooke.

"The problem is I don't know if I can. I had to fight who I am to come here. I had to convince myself that everything would work out. I had to face and ignore all my fears and now everything blew off in my face and I don't know if I can keep doing it. I hurt him a lot and regardless if was a small mistake or not, I am not sure if I can live with it"

"Honey things are never this hard or black and white. Julian said that you don't do love and relationships. I don't know why you are like this and I certainly don't know your past but you and Julian are still babies when it comes to love. Love is stronger, love is more patient and forgiving than you imagine" the older brunette offered wisely.

"But babies can't behave like adults. No matter how much I want to believe in you and Haley and in your words, I just can't" Brooke vaguely muttered looking down at the sidewalk they were. She had agreed with both women. She and Julian were probably too inexperienced at love to know how to handle it but just because she acknowledged the problem it didn't mean she was already yet to handle it.

"Yes, you are right. But I will be here for you and for him and I will help you and love will guide you the rest of the way. Just believe me when I say that it is not over. It is far from over and what you have is special" Isabella softly added as they reached for Brooke's car.

"I guess I can drive now" Brooke offered. She wanted anything to distract her head and Isabella knew it. She preferred to give the directions to the young woman instead of driving herself to give her this time to younger brunette think about what they talked.

* * *

No longer than twenty minutes later they arrived at Isabella's. The older woman concluded Julian was still in the house because Dylan's car was parked in the same place by the time they left.

"I don't want to surprise him again. I will wait in the porch for you to prepare him to deal with me" Brooke offered. She didn't want to shock him like she did the first time around.

"It sounds like a good idea" Isabella nodded but her heart fluttered. Even hurt and broken Brooke was just caring and passionate to think about Julian above everything else.

Isabella quietly entered the house but Julian was nowhere to be seen. She walked to the kitchen where Nat was cursing and throwing her hands in the air trying to make something.

"Don't worry the lifesaver is back" Isabella chuckled and Nat sighed relieved.

"Where did you take Brooke?" Nat asked concerned about the brunette she had just met.

"She is in the porch. She is staying for the dinner. It was all about a huge misunderstanding and a small lie and too much overreaction. They need to sleep on it" a confident Isabella smiled to her sister.

"I am not sure. He is devastated. The kids are with him in his bedroom you should talk to him" Nat showed her concerns to her sister. She had been worrying sick about Julian ever since Brooke left the house. He was absolutely lost and broken.

"Julls" Isabella said above a whisper as she entered his room. Her two youngest kids were sleeping. Logan at Julian's chest and Jayden in the bed just by his Uncle's side. Julia and Austin were playing some game in the floor and Julian had a blank expression and seemed to be far away from there as he didn't hear or see his sister getting inside the bedroom.

"I'll take the boys to their bedroom" she softly said taking Jayden first. In a couple of minutes she had come back to take Logan and had asked Julia and Austin to go elsewhere because she wanted to talk to Julian.

While he had realized it when she took both sleeping boys from his bed, he didn't show any reaction.

As soon as she was back in the room for the third time in a row she got his attention with only three words "She is here".

Julian jumped as he heard his sister's words but he couldn't elaborate anything to say. She had come back and he didn't know how to handle it.

"She told me the whole story, Julls. You should listen to her. It is not exactly what you think it is" she explained as she brought his upper body to her chest, rubbing his hair. Julian didn't object at all to his sister caress. She had made it many times before, when he was a child and a teenager after some of the fights his father had with him.

"If you are not ready to talk to her, it is okay. I just wanted for you to know she is staying for dinner. She wanted to give you time to prepare yourself. She loves you, Julls. She may not be ready to live this love the same way you weren't until now, but she ultimately loves you" Isabella concluded kissing his head and leaving to cook dinner.

* * *

Nathalie had left the kitchen, relieved that her sister was back to control it but especially for knowing that Brooke was there. She had been affected by the brunette's pain even more because she immediately liked the fashion designer. Julian was right about Brooke's effect on people, the younger woman was captivating.

She went outside to meet Brooke and wasn't surprised when she saw Brooke crying silently. It wasn't that Nat was against Julian but Brooke looked just so miserable and hurt that she couldn't help but feel for the female brunette more than for her brother though she admitted he was really bad as well.

"I am glad you stayed" she offered sitting by Brooke's side.

"I don't want to disappoint the kids. I already made enough damage with their Uncle" Brooke justified as she wiped the tears that were rolling down her face.

"Talk to him. I am sure you guys will work it out. It is pretty obvious you love each other" Nathalie said taking Brooke's hand. Normally she wasn't this touching when people needed comfort. Nat didn't know how to handle such situations but she felt compelled to show Brooke she was there for her. Just because Julian was family it didn't mean she wasn't welcomed and appreciated by them, even if they had just met her.

"I don't even know if I can look at his face now. I can only imagine how hurt he is and it is my entire fault. I broke him" Brooke sniffled. She was actually thankful for Isabella and Nat's support. She didn't know what she would have done if the siblings had given her the cold shoulder and ignored her pain. She had seen a lot of Julian in the two sisters and she was happy that he had such great people around him. And it only made her want to be part of their family even more.

"Just don't give up. I don't know how he is going to react because the truth is Julian never opened his heart to anyone. He never had a girlfriend and those women he had flings or whatever he calls it were just an act. I know you are both hurt but just don't give up, okay?" she pleaded squeezing Brooke's hands hard. She also wanted Brooke to be part of the family. She thought the New Yorker was the perfect woman for her brother

Brooke didn't answer. She only nodded. She wouldn't give up but she didn't know how to fight for Julian either. She would just breathe and try to make it to the next day and if time did its part, sooner or later she would find the right words, in the right time, to fix what she destroyed. All while she had been alone in the porch she had thought about the words Isabella told her, about all it took for her to finally make it to Wilmington. But mainly she thought about the feelings she had inside of her.

She thought about the way her heart beat faster when she saw him from that same porch earlier that day. The way her body craved for his touch. The way her whole body erupted in goose bumps as they kissed. The way she felt her body being carried away as they made love. And finally the love she nurtured for the guy that changed her life forever. She couldn't give up on this. She wouldn't give this up. If only she knew what to do next.

"Come with me. I wanted to show you some pictures ever since you arrived here" Nat offered with a smile.

"Sure" Brooke agreed and plastered a small smile herself.

* * *

Natalie took Brooke to her bedroom. Isabella's house was huge. It had seven bedrooms and she had always kept two of these to her siblings. Dylan's sisters didn't travel to North Carolina too much. Actually his family was the opposite of Isabella's and in the rare occasions anyone from his side came, they stood in hotels even though there was one more spare room in the house.

Nathalie's room for obvious reasons was just by Julian's side. As brother and sister spent most time of the year away, their bedrooms were the farthest ones. But even if it was in the opposite side of the long hallway, Julian would still feel Brooke's presence and scent wherever she went.

He had listened to his sister's giggles and loud voice many times but he was yet to listen to Brooke's voice. As much as the blond was trying to cheer up the designer, he knew nothing would change her spirits, maybe not even him.

"The kids were even more cute and adorable when they were younger" Brooke's voice was just above a whisper. Seeing the baby books wasn't helping her situation. She understood why Nat showed them. It would help anyone's mood but it only made it harder for Brooke. She had already given the adoption up but it was still a touchy subject. She definitely had no condition to have a baby now. She was emotionally unstable. She had mixed feelings and the fight she had to endure to ensure she wouldn't let her head ride her heart was wearing. Bringing up a baby in this scenario would be a disaster. Not only she wouldn't be able to give it a father like Julian but she wouldn't even be able to give it a mother either.

"Want to meet the Norris?" Nat offered unsure. She had showed all baby books and photo books and Brooke still held a miserable and melancholic expression. Truth to be told the blond had no idea of the conflicts Brooke had going on and she didn't actually remember that Julian had mentioned Brooke wanted to adopt.

"Sure" Brooke muttered. Anything was better than look at the beautiful and perfect babies and she had always been curious to see how Julian looked when he was younger.

"Don't be too scared of what you are about to see. Julls will kill me when he finds out I showed you this" Nathalie smirked as she opened a thick photo album.

They had seen the three siblings ever since babies to college graduation. It actually lightened Brooke's mood a bit. Julian had been an adorable and beautiful child but teenage definitely didn't suit him. But what got the brunette's attention wasn't the pimples and the wild hair but the sadness he held in every picture.

His eyes could be physically the same as now but other than the color, format and size, they were nothing like the eyes she had grew to love. Except for today. Today they looked even sadder than in the pictures and the small smile she forcefully held slowly faded.

"I guess I am going to take a shower" her voice cracked and she knew she was about to cry again.

"Sure, I can only imagine how tired you are. You are going to stay in the bedroom across the hallway. The second door to the left is a bathroom" Nathalie explained and Brooke only nodded. She thanked the blond for the support and left her bedroom.

"Aunt Brooke?" Julia asked dumbfounded as soon as Brooke stepped out the room.

"Hi Priss" Brooke plastered the best smile she could at that moment to the lovely mini-brunette.

"Uncle Jully said you weren't coming back" the girl asked confused.

"Yeah but I changed my mind. I promised you and your brothers I would be here for dinner, didn't I?" Brooke stretched her hand for Julia to take and led both to her bedroom for the night.

"Uncle Julls always keeps his promises to us" she added as they entered the room

"It is because he loves you a lot" Brooke offered with a smile and this time it was genuine. His love to his nephews had always touched her heart.

"Why was he rude to you?" Julia queried.

"Because I lied to him. I came to apologize and to fix it but he was hurt. That's why we should never lie" Brooke added running her fingers in the little girl's beautiful and soft hair.

"When I do something wrong and I say I am sorry and my mom forgives me. Why can't Uncle Jully forgive you?" the girl insisted and Brooke didn't know how to answer. She surely didn't want to bring the innocent child to the mess she and Julian created. She didn't want Julia to see how much hurt she and Julian were.

"He is sad now but I am sure he will forgive me, don't worry, okay?" was the best the brunette could come up with and she wanted to believe that it was the case. That sooner or later he would be able to forgive her.

"I like you, Aunt Brooke. I'll ask Uncle Jully to forgive you. You are so pretty and you are nice to us and you brought gifts to us and you played with us. I'll talk to Uncle Jully" the girl offered as she rubbed her small hand in Brooke's cheek making the tears she had been holding ever since her conversation with Nat to finally fall. "Don't cry, Aunt Brooke, Uncle Jully is the bestest person I know. He takes care of us and comes to visit a lot of times. My mom says he has a big heart. He won't be bad to you again, okay?"

Brooke was touched by the girl's concern and threatening tears because of her own"Thank you, honey. You are an angel" Brooke smiled as she tried to wipe her tears but they didn't stop to roll down her face.

Austin had come upstairs to call Nat for his mother but when he passed by Brooke's room and saw her and Julia sat in the bed he forgot about his mission upstairs and ran to meet both brunettes.

"Auntie Brooke!" he yelled.

"Hey Mini-Jully" Brooke greeted opening her arms to receive the little boy in her arms.

"Why you are crying?" the boy asked concerned too and Brooke could only imagine if all kids were like that. Jamie had had the same reaction earlier that week and though she was his godmother, visiting Tree Hill twice ever since he was born didn't really give them a close relationship. She thought that children were just this pure and that love came natural to them.

"She made Uncle Jully sad and he was bad to her and she said she is sorry but he didn't forgive her" Julia explained her younger brother.

"Why you make Uncle Jully sad?" Austin asked protectively and Brooke could see he was looking after his uncle and she thought it was the cutest thing ever.

"It is complicated Mini-J. I had a plan and I changed my mind and didn't tell him and he was sad. I promise you I won't hurt him again, okay?" she cried out and even the four year could see that she regretted it.

"You promise?" he ensured but his eyes still held a loving gaze.

"I do" Brooke confirmed offering her pinky finger which the boy accepted and smiled.

"Sweet. I have call Auntie Nat because mom needs help. Then I come back. You want I call Lo-Dy and Jay?" he explained using the nicknames she had given to his brothers. Brooke wanted to bite his cheek. He was so cute trying to explain everything he had to do.

"Sure, Mini-J, let me take a shower and I will meet you downstairs, okey?" Brooke smiled and Julia left to help her brother with the smaller ones.

* * *

Brooke had taken the not so small handbag where her clothes were to prepare herself to take a shower.

"Hi" his deep voice echoed behind her. She stopped her motions immediately and her heart nearly stopped as well.

She slowly turned her upper body around to see the man she loved standing in the doorway of her bedroom. She didn't know how to react. She hadn't been waiting for him to look for her. Actually she thought he would avoid her as the best as he could and for that she was now frozen in front of him.

Julian could see right through her eyes she was shocked. He had heard to her conversation to the kids when he was leaving his bedroom to take a shower himself. He had been touched by how Julia and Austin loved her within only a few hours. And like Brooke had wondered he also thought that love was just natural to his nephews and maybe to any kid. They had told him that she played with them for a long time. That she got them nicknames and gifts and that she was going to take them to have ice-cream and to visit the zoo. He could only imagine how beautiful Brooke was surrounded by the most important people in his life. He could only imagine how lovely and careful she was with his kids and it made his heart race in his chest. He still wanted her to be a part of his life. The most important part.

"Can we talk?" he offered seeing her lack of reaction.

"Sure, come in" she quickly made space for him to sit where Julia and Austin were sitting just minutes ago before she threw her clothes all around the bed.

Julian closed the door behind him and sat where she showed him and the two of them stood there, sat in her bed for some minutes, looking down to their hands, waiting for the other to start the conversation that maybe would change their lives. They were anxious and nervous about it. They knew how hurt the other was and both wanted to spare any additional pain to their loved ones. They loved each other too much to put one another in further misery. But they simply didn't know what to do to fix it.

"I am sorry" her voice was low and cracking. "I am so sorry" she continued looking up to him and the pain in her eyes made his own teary and he had to look away from her hurt face.

"Why are you here, Brooke?" he asked still looking to the wall by their side. His voice was quiet and low.

"Because I lied to you. Because I wanted you to know the truth" her voice was muffled by her crying that was about to start.

"Which is?" his voice also embargoed. He wanted to know why but he wasn't sure if it would be something he could handle. What if she didn't love him?

"I was going to move to Tree Hill but that morning that Haley called me, the day before, she told me she was moving to New York. It was the last push I needed to stay. I didn't want to leave anymore and when she said she was moving there I could finally stay" she gulped her tears and told him part of the story.

"But you were so decided, why didn't you want to move away anymore? She was the last push to what? You told me countless times that you were going to leave, that you needed to leave, that you couldn't stay, that your life wasn't in New York anymore" he finally looked up to her with his eyes red and puff of all the crying he had done in the last hours.

"But then my life wasn't in Tree Hill anymore" she confessed weakly.

"Can you just for once tell me the whole story? Can you just for once be totally honest with me?" he pleaded seeing that like in the many other times that they tried to talk about her life she was being reticent and vague.

"I didn't move away because I didn't want to adopt the baby anymore, not like that anyway. I didn't want to pursue my plans anymore and I tried my best to avoid changing my plans. I tried to avoid changing my mind about Tree Hill but then Haley moved to the Hamptons and I had no reason left to move away. I didn't want to leave New York for many reasons but I _couldn't _leave it after all because you were there and I wanted to be where you were" her voice was getting more and more muffled and cracking.

"Why didn't you tell me? I told I was there for you. I told you could count on me. I told you I would get your back. Why? Why did you lie to me?" he asked annoyed. He had showed her in every possible way that he was there for her and it enraged him to know that she ignored it as if it was nothing. As if he meant nothing to her.

"What did you expect me to do, Julian? Put my heart in the line for you to run over it? For you to break it into a million of pieces? You said many times you didn't do love, that you would never fall in love" she cried also getting annoyed by his tone.

"You said just after we got together in the beach that we were getting too serious. That you wanted things to be light heartened between us. You were the one that showed in every way you could that what we had was nothing" he retorted with a brokenhearted voice.

"It didn't matter how much I wanted it to be nothing because in the end I fell in love with you the same way" she finally confessed looking away and wiping the tears that fell.

"You knew I loved you Brooke. I had told I loved you in the last time we've been together" he muttered. The guilt and the pain were so overwhelming that her admission of love had almost been unnoticed by him. Still his heart skipped a beat as she said it.

"I am sorry I hurt you, Julian. I came here to tell you I am sorry and that I love you. I never planned to hurt you and I know it doesn't really help. I don't want to keep torturing you. I promised the kids I was going to stay and that's why I stayed. I'll be gone before you open your eyes tomorrow. I'll take you out of your misery" her failing voice told him as she stood up and started to get her clothes back into her handbag.

"Don't you understand that being away from you is what makes me miserable?" he reached for her arm and turning to look at him their eyes locked for the first time in so many days. "Don't you understand that I couldn't open that door and stop you from vomiting and crying because I couldn't face the damage I did to you? Don't you understand that I will never forgive myself for breaking you like that? Don't you understand that loving you is what made my life worthy for the first time?"

"And how do you think it is to me? I don't how to move from here, Julls. I don't know how to look at your face and see how hard I broke you" she admitted and a new batch of tears left her eyes.

He wiped them as his own rolled down "All I wish now is that I could turn back in time and hug and kiss you when I saw you walking to me because now I can't do it anymore. Because now I feel rooted again just like I was while you cried because Ijust can't look at you and see what I've done"

She pulled him against her, leading him to stand up and folded her arms around him.

"I am so sooorry. I-I broke you. I bro…oke us" he could feel her body trembling as she cried apologizing in his chest. "Please forgive me Julian. Pleee-a-see. This is all my fault" she barely voiced between many sobs as he held her in his arms and his own tears soaked her hair. He couldn't see her hurting like that.

"Don't cry, Brooklyn, please don't cry" he increased his grip in her shaking body "Shhhh, I am here now, Brooklyn, I am here. I am so sorry that I did it to you" he soothed in her hair.

"I don't know if I can fix it, Julls. I want to but I don't know how" she muffled in his chest.

"I don't know either but everything will be okay, I promise you" he said as he moved her chin up to him and kissed her. The kisses that were so sweet and intense were now painful and tasted as the salt of their tears. They broke the kiss and holding each other they cried because they didn't know how to go from all the profound pain to the immense love they had for each other.

* * *

"Dinner will be ready in forty minutes" Nat announced outside the closed door. As much as they were worried about the couple inside the spare bedroom they were also relieved to know they were talking. Even though Brooke's sobs could be heard from the corridor.

Nathalie had taken the youngest boys to take shower. Julia and Austin were kept busy in the kitchen helping their parents and after they were done, they also got their showers. They didn't want the children to listen to the painful battle of feelings Brooke and Julian were going through.

They got over her lie and his strong reaction. They were over it even before they talked but they couldn't find a way to get over all the pain they caused to each other. Their broken faces were in one another's minds all the time and guilt was eating them from inside.

"I need to take a shower" he whispered in her hair. They hadn't broken their embrace for almost one hour though they had moved to the bed when their legs started hurting for the lack of motion but still her head was in his chest and his arms were folding her. No words were exchanged; they just needed to feel themselves in each other's arms. They needed to get the lost feeling back but it wasn't the same as much as the kisses weren't.

"Me too. I was heading there when you came" she muffled in his chest.

"Did you pick your clothes already?" he asked as he brushed her hair.

"Yeah…" she breathed out.

"Let's go, I'll help you" he offered kissing her head before he broke apart.

She collected her clothes from the bed and her make-up bag and followed him to the guests' bathroom.

"Shower or tub?" he asked as soon as they stepped in the bathroom. His clothes and tower in his hand as well.

"Shower. I need to try to rinse the tears and pain for the kids" she explained and he only nodded helping her to take her clothes off.

As soon as she was completely naked he started to get rid of his own clothes and in no time they were naked in front of each other.

He reached for the tap behind her and the water started to fall by her side. He waited until it was very hot and taking her by the hand he moved her to the jet of water. He carefully rubbed her wet hair away from her face and let the water run over her body for some minutes. When he felt that her muscles were finally relaxing he took the sponge and the soap and started to scrub her softly. He started by her shoulders and neck and went down to her back, chest and stomach. When he was going to move to her thighs she wrapped her arms around his wet body and brought him to the water with her.

After holding each other a little while he pulled her for a kiss. It was still bitter and the moment their lips broke, he broke as well. All while they stood in her bedroom he cried but his tears were silent. Now he collapsed. His body shook and his sobs were like moans of pain. Brooke didn't know what to do with the man in her arms. Julian had always showed to be so strong and tough. It seemed like nothing could ever break him down and even though she knew he was hurt and devastated she didn't expect him to break down like that. And her guilt only grew bigger because she was the one that did it to him.

"I thought… I thought all I had dreamed was destroyed by me, again. I thought I had lost you for the rest of my life because I had broken you. I am so sorry. I am sorry for the words I said, I am sorry I didn't listen to you, I am sorry I was so cold and mean. I am sorry I hurt you so much with my words" he pleaded as soon as he recovered his breath enough to formulate words.

"I hurt myself, Julian. I was the one that lied, I was the one that led you to react the way you did. It doesn't matter what you said. I don't even remember the words to be honest. But I can't forget your eyes. I can't forget the way your face just dropped. None of this is your fault" she hugged him tight and the water that fall over their bodies mixed the foam and the tears of their united frames. But it didn't take the pain and the guilt away that both felt.

"All I remember is your screams, I remember you calling out my name as if someone was ripping your body and this is my fault. I am so sorry, please forgive me, Brooklyn, I broke you, I hurt you and I promised you I would never do it but I still did and I couldn't move to rescue and stop the pain. My guilt, my pain, my cowardice it all held me back from saving you and I am sorry. I am the one that need to ask for forgiveness" he explained and in that moment he couldn't look at her face. He knew that her screams would haunt him for a long time.

"Of course I forgive you Julian.I love you, Julian. Even if right now I can't love you, even if right now you can't be loved and you can't love me back, I just want you to know that I love you" she looked intensely to his eyes and for one moment his heart was warmed. She loved him. Though she had said it before in the bedroom it wasn't like now. She had mentioned her love before but now she was confessing it looking straight to him and it made his knees weak.

"I love you too, Brooklyn" he looked to her before pulling her to another embrace.

"I'll find a way to heal us" she nodded her head slowly and her eyes pleaded him to give her the chance to fix what they had. To give their love a chance. He remembered of Karen's words. The brunette explained him how hard it was for Brooke open up and here she was holding him and promising that she would find a way to make them work.

"I'll help you" he steadily offered looking to her and she nodded once more.

The tiny spark she had seen in his eyes when they confessed their mutual love was enough for her now. It was enough for her to finally start understanding what Haley and Isabella had told her about love.

* * *

_AN: Well why should I wait until Monday or Tuesday when you guys were so great to me and gave me so many reviews and I could give you a little of hope? I see most of you is really mad on Julian but I hope I had clarified with this chapter that 1) when he saw her he burst what he had in his chest for two hours. He didn't plan to act like that but he was too hurt. 2) When he stayed in the living room while she cried her life out wasn't because he is heartless but because he felt ashamed, guilty and broken by her pain. It was like it was too much for him to see with his own eyes what he had done to her because of a lie that probably didn't mean that much as she was there in that moment looking for him._

_I guess when I made her reaction so heartbreaking all us - Brooke fans - probably got too much because Mark already makes a good job doing it season after season but I do things with a purpose and while in the show her pain always makes her more insecure and running faster from everyone here it will work in the opposite way. She will see through the pain that he is worthy fighting for and he will eventually be able to handle the guilt and fight for her too._

_They both did two stupid things and they regretted it and their actions caused both of them a lot of pain and now they will handle this pain._

_Thanks to Love me some Julian; Kayla; Sab; sb1218; kaos2405; Syrine; Artemi; MaryOTH; SouthernBellBrooke; haleydavisbaker; Elilo; Y0uNMcK33 and CheeryGirl. This update is for you guys. I love your reviews, even if you are frustrated because of Julian._

_But before I leave, I only have one more chapter written and I didn't write a new one for A LOVE TO REMEMBER because I am with conjunctivitis and I am avoiding to spend long times and I don't have a word written to ALTR and only one chapter for this story._

_I have the outline for the upcoming chapters of both stories but I want your opinion about where I should lead them. I know where I want them to be by Christmas and New Year's time but I am out of ideas on how to lead them there. I do have some but they are still to rough. Anyway, if you want to give your opinion, go ahead._

_Talk to you soon - and this time it will take a few days as I only have this one chapter written._

_xoxo_

_Babi  
_


	26. No Julian & No Brooke: No Dimples

**Lying Helpless in Her Arms**

**Chapter 25 - No Dimples**

* * *

They quickly finished their shower and changed into new clothes. He had helped her with everything from drying her body with the towel to brush her hair as soon as she was dressed. That was the only thing that made him feel better and she could sense it. He needed to be there for her even if only for the smallest things. He wanted to make up for the pain she was still feeling regardless of whom or what caused it as they blamed their own pain to themselves instead of to one another. She was what he had of most precious and it was his mission to take care of her.

It helped him with the pain and it helped him with the guilt. Her forgiving heart was touching. He couldn't forget a word of what he had said to her when they met in the front yard and still all she could remember was his hurt eyes. Brooke was indeed special and unique. He knew he didn't deserve someone such kind heartened but he wouldn't question the reasons why she fell for him. Everything that mattered was that she loved him back and that she was willing to make them work.

Brooke let Julian do whatever he wanted. She could see the love and care with which he did everything for her. He was so sweet and sensitive that she couldn't be more thankful for having such an amazing man in love with her. She didn't blame him for his strong reaction. He was new in all of this after all and she had lied to him when she knew she shouldn't have, when she knew she didn't need. If there was a person that would give her all time and space, it was Julian. He had always done everything he could for her and she knew she could count on the man in front of her.

As she watched him getting dressed, after she was ready, she contemplated how her life changed in less than one month. She was hopeless when she met him. She was cold and bitter and no matter how intense the pain she had at that moment was she still thought she was in a better condition than before she had met him. Julian Baker had changed her life for better and for good.

"Are you ready?" he asked and offered her his hand. She nodded and a small curve in her lips appeared but it wasn't yet a smile.

A breath of relief took the house as Julian and Brooke walked downstairs holding hands. Whatever had they talked and decided at least they were pacifically together though their faces showed that happiness wasn't invited. At least not yet.

"Uncle Jully! Auntie Brooke!!" the kids celebrated loudly.

"I don't know how Brooke had become their favorite Auntie within just one day" Nat whined as she helped Isabella to get the dishes on the table.

"Jealous much, aren't we?" Isabella asked her husband who just laughed and completed "Can you imagine if Brooke and Julian get married? You can start rethinking your life plan, Nattie because I guess you are going to need your own kids" Dylan let the joke slip but the moment Isabella nudged him he knew he had said too much though neither Brooke nor Julian seemed affected by it.

"The kids are great and I am sure they can give a piece of their heart to everybody" Brooke suggested light heartened.

"As long as my share keeps being the biggest one, I have no objection" Julian offered bringing Jayden to his lap "Uncle Ully loves it too much, he loves!!!" he tickled the thirteen months old in the stomach and Brooke watched with a tender gaze.

"How did it go?" Isabella whispered to the brunette as she watched Julian playing with Jayden.

"Traumatizing to say the least but we won't give up" she smiled weakly as her eyes got teary.

"I'm here for you. You don't need to go through this alone, okay?" Isabella offered hugging the designer.

"How about we eat?" Dylan suggested and everybody agreed.

* * *

The dinner was nice. The kids brought happiness to the house and for some moments Brooke and Julian had forgotten of what happened to them. Every now and then she would think of what it would be to have a family like that. Every now and then she would remember of her former plan of adopting a girl, especially as she watched Julia being such lovely and sweet towards her and Julian.

"Auntie Brookie tug me?" Logan asked as he yawned. It was past their bed time even though they had served dinner earlier than usual on Thanksgiving because of the children.

"Me too!" Austin quickly asked too.

"Will my princess give me the honor?" Julian asked to Julia who was sat in his lap ever since they had moved to the living room.

"Is it okay if Auntie Brookie comes too?" she pleaded and Julian couldn't resist to her puppy face neither doing something like that with Brooke.

"It is perfect" Julian agreed kissing her forehead.

"I am going to tug Jayden. I have to take my chances while he doesn't ask for Uncle Ully and Auntie Brookie. I am so not ever talking to you if he learns your name before mine, Brooke" Nathalie pouted taking her godson upstairs.

"Don't ever take Nat seriously, Brooke. She loves to play this part but the kids are crazy about her and she knows it" Dylan assured Brooke.

"You guys have a great thing here" she shyly commented as she took Logan's and Austin's hands to walk them to his bed "Thanks for sharing it with me"

"I thank you Brooke. You were so great to the kids and Julls was right, you are just too easy to love" Isabella smiled to the younger brunette who blushed. She was flattered by such love and concern the whole family held for her even though they just met. She knew Julian played a great part in this as he probably said a lot of things about her and once again it warmed her heart. He truly admired and loved her in such a way that she wasn't even sure if she was deserving.

"Do you want me to carry you, Lo-Dy?" Brooke asked and the little boy that was almost sleeping just nodded, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand.

"Let's go" she said as she took the boy in her arms, getting Austin by the hand.

"Thank you Lizzy. I don't know what would have happened if you weren't there for her today. Thanks for taking care of her and thanks for bringing her back to me" Julian quietly thanked his sister.

"Everything for you, Julls. See you tomorrow" his oldest sibling hugged him and watched as he took Julia upstairs.

* * *

As they entered her room he asked the little girl to get changed into her pajamas and wait for him and Brooke.

"Did you forgive Brooke, Uncle Jully?" Julia asked before her uncle left her bedroom.

"Yes, Princess. What I did to her today was very bad. I accepted her apologies and she accepted mine" he explained as he brushed her hair with his fingers before leaving the room and promising to be back soon.

He thought Logan was probably already sleeping and headed straight to Austin's room where he guessed Brooke might was.

"Uncle Jully!!!" the four years old greeted excitedly.

"Do you need any help here?" he asked Brooke kissing the top of her head as he took the boy in his arms "Ready to sleep buddy?"

"We were picking a story from the bookshelf" Brooke explained standing up from the boy's bed giving Julian space to lay him down.

"And what did you get?" Julian asked as he helped Austin with his pajamas.

"Goodnight Moon though I guess it could be Goodnight Austin" Brooke nodded towards Austin that was blinking heavily already.

Julian carefully laid Austin in the bed and Brooke sat by the little boy side as she started to tell him the story. It was obvious that Brooke never tugged anyone to sleep or in the case she did it to her godson it wasn't really with the intention of making him sleep. She was so excited telling Austin the story that her voices and gestures sort of awake the boy instead of leading him to sleep.

"Hun, the purpose here is to make him sleep not the other way around. Let your amazing acting skills for tomorrow when he is wide awake" he leaned down and whispered in her ear folding his arms in her chest while his chin rested in her shoulder.

"Oops" she muttered looking up to him with an apologetically and innocent face that melted his heart as he stayed in the comforting position attached to her body.

She lowered down her voice tone and kept her gestures to a soothing hand in the little boy's hair and a couple of minutes later he was already sleeping. "Good night, Mini-J" she kissed his hair softly and stood up.

Julian stretched his hand to her and whispered "Julia is still waiting for us" Brooke nodded and took his hand as they headed to the girl's room.

"I thought you forgot me" Julia lightly pouted as she saw the couple entering the room.

"How could we forget you, Priss? You too special and beautiful for us to forget you" Brooke offered her sweet smile as she tapped the girl's noise softly which melted Julian's heart once again.

Julia smiled shyly to Brooke and then looked up to her uncle that held an adoring gaze on the woman he loved and even for an eight years old it was evident that he cared a lot about Brooke.

"Are you getting married?" she asked with a mischievous but yet sweet smile.

"Now where did it come from?" Brooke arched her eyebrow though she bit her lip just after she spoke. She surely didn't know how to answer the little girl and she tried not to look up to Julian to ask for help because she didn't know if help was what she would get from him.

"Well you were holding hands and then Daddy said you were getting married" she shrugged innocently as if it was the most obvious thing.

"Oh Honey, your Daddy was kidding" Julian added but his heart was anything like his careless voice. The simply mention of Brooke and he getting married was enough to make his heart rush in his chest. No matter how much they felt hurt right now and how everything seemed too painful, marrying her was still what he wanted more in his life. Before of all this mess came he had thought a couple of times of the best scenarios. Just like he had thought about the worst ones. In the best scenarios he would visit her today in Tree Hill, they would have a great day together and she would accept to come to his house. He would end the night in the porch confessing his love to her to which she would just correspond and they would kiss passionately.

In his mind after they had finally confessed their feelings he would ask her to marry him as soon as he was sure she was ready to say yes or at least to do not freak out by his proposal. He didn't want to go any further day without having her and in this dream it wouldn't take her too much time, maybe a month or two, for her to be ready to be asked the question that he had wanted so much to say.

Even though the day was nothing like he had dreamed of and even worse than he had ever imagined his intentions hadn't changed. He still wanted to marry the woman that was tugging his niece with him but now he was the one who wasn't ready for this though he doubted that she was anywhere ready too.

"We like if you get married" she sleepy girl offered after the brief silence.

"We who?" Brooke chuckled nervously. Now definitely wasn't the best time for Julia to bring up this subject when Julian and she had yet to figure out how they would try to fix it.

"The boys and I but I guess Mommy, Daddy and Auntie Nattie are Team Brulian too" and the same smile as before was in the little girl's face again. She had loved Brooke not because of the gifts though she had loved them but because Brooke was so kind to her and so nice. She remembered Julia of her own mother when she treated them with such affection. And she got them nicknames and she got them presents and she played with them and she was funny; the little girl thought.

"Actually Juke" Julian let it slip and he now looked to the woman sat across of him in the girl's bed.

"Juke is funny" Julia laughed out loud.

"Guess who came out with the name?" Julian chuckled softly and his hand reached for Brooke's that was yet to look up to him but did so as she felt his hand on hers.

"See? Auntie Brooke is fun that's why we like her" she yawned and Brooke and Julian realized it was way past Julia's bedtime.

"So do you want us to read a story to you?" Brooke suggested turning her attention to the girl that was fighting to keep awake with the two people she liked so much even if one of them she just met recently.

"Yes. I want you to tell me how you met" she blinked heavily and both Brooke and Julian looked up from the girl to each other. That was definitely a night they wouldn't ever forget and now thinking about it they realized that fate brought them together. There was no way for them to escape each other.

"That's a good one, Princess" he offered but his eyes were still locked to Brooke's who just muttered "Really good".

"But how about we tell you tomorrow? It is long and I don't want you to sleep over it" he suggested and the little girl just nodded.

"I will fill you in with all details and how great Uncle Jully was" Brooke whispered softly as she rubbed the little girl's hair knowing that with that soothing her words and caressing the she would be a goner very soon "And I will let you ask me all questions you have and Uncle Jully will tell you his version and all" she completed as her gaze was in the hero of her story.

"I guess you learn fast" he whispered nodding to the already sleeping girl.

She only nodded and leaned to kiss Julia's hair, to which Julian just followed suit. They stood up and left the girl's room and headed to theirs.

"You are great with them just as I imagined you would be" he confessed as they reached for her door.

"Still not half good as you are" she replied with a smile showing the full dimples that he missed so much and that remembered him of how special she was to him. She was his Dimples even though he couldn't bring himself to use the nickname that he loved so much. He couldn't explain what he felt. At the same time that he was relieved to know that they forgave each other and were willing to give it a try he was yet lost and unsure around her. He didn't know how to act and some things just didn't seem right no matter how much he wanted them to be. And one of those things was being his old self around her especially if she wasn't being her old self around him either.

"I've been doing this for eight years so I guess I got some practice" he nervously and weakly smiled and Brooke knew it was just as hard for him as it was for her. Somehow it was easier to behave around other people. It was as if the others had actually distracted them from the unavoidable situation they had to handle. For some moments during the dinner and now tugging the kids everything seemed just perfect as before though these moments were too ephemeral.

"Do you want to come in?" she offered shyly and insecurely and he could say that she was unsure about it.

"No, come here" he stretched his hand for her to take and she complied following him downstairs.

* * *

He brought her to the porch that she had spent so painful moments earlier in that day.

"I've forgotten how the sky is beautiful from North Carolina"

"Yeah, it is beautiful but I am still more dazed by your beauty" he rubbed her cheek and admired her flawless face and for a moment she had her Julian back. The complimenting and gentle Julian she learned to love so fast. His eyes spoke much louder than his words and she was relieved to know that even briefly he could look at her like he used to.

A silence followed his tender words and they were back to the moment where they didn't know what to do. All they wanted to do was to forget the guilt because of each other's pain.

"I am sorry" she muttered as her head lied in his chest.

"About what?" he asked confused.

"It is just that all this lets me nervous. I am scared and I know I am not a teenager who just had sex for the first time. Damn this is not even the first time I fall in love but it still scares me. All those feelings that I thought I wouldn't have for someone else and the fear of where those feelings are going to take me this time. I wish I could just take a leap of faith and forget about everything else but you but I don't know how. That's why I lied. I am damaged, Julian and I don't even know to which extent and now I can't get over the fact that I hurt you that bad" she admitted how she felt for him for the first time. They had talked about her past and how she had been hurt and while he could have a pretty good idea of her fears and pain it was the first time that she confessed it clearly. Her voice was muffled by the tears that rolled as she talked and her eyes were so desperate and in pain that Julian was taken aback.

"It is okay Brooklyn. I told you I've got your back. You can count on me Honey, you can always count on me. I've made the mistake of not understanding you once and I won't do it again" he kissed her head and took a step back to look at her beautiful and vivacious hazel eyes. She was absolutely gorgeous and her eyes were even prettier when she cried though he surely preferred if she never dropped a tear again because it broke his heart.

"But this is not fair Julian. You are ready to live this even if we still have some work to do from where we are now, you are ready for this. I thought I was, I came here trusting that I wanted to have this with you and while I didn't change my mind about it I am still tempted to run especially because I hurt you in the process and I am sure that's not the last time I am going to be compelled to screw things up. I wish I could control it. I trust you with my life but still I don't trust me and I definitely don't trust me your life" she looked down ashamed and also frustrated. The voice in the back of her mind was relentless. It warned her all the time that she would hurt him and that she would get hurt. She tried her best to fight against the fears that she had lived with for so many years and while she thought she made some serious progress by coming to Wilmington and not giving up when things got nasty she still knew she had a long way ahead of her. A long way for her to be relaxed about being in a relationship again.

Julian wrapped his arms around the body of the woman he loved so much "Give it time, Brooklyn, things will work out, just give it time and for now I am thankful that I am holding you instead of being in my house imagining of how much I hurt you while you were in your way back to New York. For now I am forever thankful for you to be facing your fears and staying here with me after all the pain I caused you"

"You have no idea of how many times I dreamed about this, most of them awake" she closed her eyes as she snuggled in his chest looking for her spot. Even if they were stood up there was this special place that seemed to fit her head perfectly and from where she could listen his heart beating.

"Yeah, I know. I craved for your touch, for your lips, for your smell and for having you in my arms just like now" his trademark grin almost making its way to his face. Not that he wasn't happy for having his Brooklyn in his arms because he was but it wasn't like he wanted it to be. He didn't want them to have this battle to simply stand there like that. He didn't want to feel her tears soaking his shirt. Except if those were happy tears.

"I had so many plans" her eyes stood closed as a small smile showed in her face "Actually I would call them dreams"

"What have you dreamed about us?" he asked curious, though he had also dreamed so many things about them.

"That I would spend an amazing weekend with you and your family and that we would take the kids to the zoo and then take a walk in the park just like we did in New York. We would cuddle in your sister's perfect motherly southern living room and we would tell many stories to the kids" her smile was now broad and her dimples showed and if her eyes were open she would see as his famous and illegal grin finally found its way back to his beautiful face. "And then we would fly back to New York as the most annoyingly happy people ever"

"I like the way you think" he finally leaned down to kiss her and after sharing so great plans their kiss taste and feelings changed drastically from the ones they had shared before. It was sweet and intense as it had used to be and in that very moment it was filled with hope and love.

Brooke and Julian felt in their hearts that after the weirdness was passed they would resume what they had until two weeks ago.

They didn't deepen the kiss. That wasn't what they were looking forward at least not in that moment. People use to say that there is nothing more intimate than a passionate kiss and that was what Brooke and Julian shared in that moment. Their hearts finally went at easy and they could cherish each other's company truly for the first time since they took their different ways in New York.

Brooke slipped her hands to the back of his head while he moved his own to her waist and pulled her close to him. He slowly moved back until he felt the chair touching his calves. He had to sit down. His knees actually trembled by the overwhelming sensations he felt in that moment. The woman he loved and who he thought he had lost was now in his arms.

Brooke followed his motion while he sat in the tip of the chair and she sat in his lap, resting her legs by his side. Though the position was sexy and sexual they were too lost in their lips to be aroused. It was as if that kiss was healing momentarily their raw wounds and for that reason they didn't want it to finish, not even to potentially make love. But earlier than they wanted their bodies craved for air and they had to break apart. After breathing in some oxygen they quickly find their way back to their mouths and breathed in some love. Somehow it seemed like that their bodies needed more the feeling than the air itself.

They stood outside for longer than they could count. She stood sat in his lap and they just kissed and enjoyed being in each other's embrace. The reassurance they had got from those minutes and the comforting warmness of their mutual feelings was too good to be stopped. But now the coldness of North Carolina's fall was making it hard for the in love couple to keep enjoying the soothing breeze that seemed to help them to be at ease.

"Let's get inside Baby, it is freezing and I don't want you to get a cold" he kissed her hair and she only nodded in his arms.

* * *

They walked slowly and carefully upstairs. Everybody else in the house was already sleeping and they didn't want to wake them up, especially not the kids. As soon as they reached the end of the hallway just where their bedrooms were they stopped their walking not knowing exactly what to do now. Surely they had made serious progress ever since he entered her bedroom earlier that day but they didn't want to put a lot of pressure on each other, especially Julian on Brooke.

"Mine or yours" he offered with his childish mischievous smile but his eyes showed how jittery he was.

"Yours. The closest of your bedroom I got was your hotel room and as much as I agree that you made that the most personal hotel room I've ever seen I still want to know something that is genuinely yours, that has your touch" she smiled sweetly and his heart skipped a beat. He couldn't control how much he loved that woman more and more by the minute.

"Actually this year I've spent more time here than in my house in LA" he offered nervously fearing that she didn't catch on his joke before. He wasn't inviting her to make love though his body still craved for hers. He didn't know if they could handle it tonight and he wasn't willing to take any step backward.

"Thank you" she pulled him for a kiss and he led them inside his bedroom.

As she looked around the room was everything like she expected. Simple but filled with so many meaningful things to the man by her side. Surely there were even more pictures of him and his family than in his office and suite; more DVD discs than she could count along with some books and some teddy bears and other toys that showed her that either the kids gave it to him or that they were a constant presence in his bedroom. There was nothing sophisticated though Isabella's house was fancy but probably the most valuable things to Julian were there.

And that was made him so special to her. He didn't seem to care about money though she had no doubt his family was wealthy based in Isabella's house and the kind of hotel room he got himself. Probably their parents had a lot of money and like hers gave it to them, though she couldn't be more wrong about this last part. A few times she had thought why he had never mentioned his parents, though she knew both were still alive thanks to her Google research. It was odd that on Thanksgiving she hadn't heard a single word about his parents. Dylan's had called and talked to the kids but there wasn't any news on Julian's.

But that wasn't what touched her heart about Julian. Yeah, his parents made an excellent job with not only him but also his sisters and she would be forever thankful for that but it was how sensitive and amazing he was. Instead of valuing what people in Hollywood seemed to care, Julian valued his family more than anything else. She remembered again about the research she did. He had been in many charity events. He cared for people, he had a good heart, he was always thinking about everyone else and she loved him for that. She loved him for making her feel so special even if today he had broke her heart.

"Come here" he broke her trance leading them to sit in the bed, he against the headboard and she against his chest.

"So what did you think? Does it match Brooke Davis' standards?" he smiled while he smelled her hair. Only God knew how much he loved and missed this woman.

"I love you" she bluntly said avoiding his question.

Though he was surprised by the spontaneous declaration his ears and heart would never get tired of listening to her.

"Good, because I love you too" he folded his arms around her waist kissing her cheek.

"No, that's now what I mean. I mean, it is, because I guess 'I love you' there is only one meaning but what I meant is that I love everything about you. You are a great person Julian and you seem just perfect to me. I don't know what you do but you make me smile even when it hurts. You made me forget about all my fears and accept that I love you. You made me feel like I could have a chance in love again. You made me feel like I could resume my dreams. The words you say to me, the way you look at me. It is all reassuring and true. I can see how you love me and how you admire me and how I am special to you just by the way you look me. Nobody ever made me feel this way. Nobody ever loved me like this and even now that everything hurts because of what we did; I look into your eyes and I find peace to my heart. I struggled so much in these past weeks. I tried to let it go, I tried to avoid it but I couldn't. Within only few days you made me dependent on you and trust me there is nothing I value more than my independence but around you I feel like I don't need it. More than this I feel like I don't want it because I never made myself feel like you made" she started her speech rambling but as she progressed her voice was getting steadier and the conviction in her words were somewhat overwhelming. But not bad overwhelming, Julian thought, if that's even possible.

It was too much but not in a way that he couldn't take in anymore but as if he was going to explode of pride, happiness and love for the woman in his arms.

"And I thought I was the one good with words" he muttered. He didn't even know how to react to all those words. He never expected to be this meaningful to someone, let alone someone like Brooke.

"You are good with everything, Baby" she turned her face to his and pulled him into another passionate kiss, just like the ones they had in the first night they spent in her apartment and didn't have sex.

"I don't deserve you, Brooke but I won't ask you to find someone that deserves. I want to make you mine and I want to make all your dreams come true. Everything you'd ever want" he brushed her hair as they broke apart.

"Everything?" she sweetly asked and he nodded "Starting right now?" she tested him once more and he reciprocated the smile.

"So can you just hold me tonight?" her lips still curved but her voice cracked. Not because she feared he would say no but just because she couldn't believe this was happening after everything they went through earlier in that day. She needed the reassurance of his presence.

"Yes, Honey, my pleasure" he kissed her forehead and they stood like that until they fell asleep.

_

* * *

AN: I may be making Brooke the bad guy here but she is actually who caused all this. Surely Julian could have been more thoughtful and reacted better or at least given her a change to explain but yet he was deeply hurt and it was still raw. But whoever's fault it is what I want here is for __**both**__ of them to fight for each other. I am a bit tired of the unilateral thing – though sometimes it fits – but I wanted something different and they are actually in the same page so they will both fight to get together._

_This feeling of not belonging will soon go away, they just got into a big fight that was pretty intense, if not by its duration and words by its consequence so it is pretty normal to feel like this for a while, especially if they weren't even together - though that might change quickly and briefly._

_Thanks a lot to Syrine, Artemi, Love me some Julian, kaos2405, sb1218, Syrine ;), MaryOTH; Sab; xxAshley; Kayla, Y0uNMcK33; haleydavisbaker; FriendlyGirl333; vampiregurl and SouthernBellBrooke. Your reviews make my day, every day :)  
_

_Coming up next: make up sex; Julian and the kids relationship and more details about Brooke's fertility issues._

_Talk to you soon - though next chapter is yet to be finished :P_

_Babi_


	27. No Julian & No Brooke: No Jully

**Lying Helpless in Her Arms**

**Chapter 26 - No Jully

* * *

**

Brooke slept in Julian's arms and they couldn't remember of a better night in their whole lives. They were in peace, they were happy for being there and they were somewhat relieved that they got past that day. Surely things would be a bit strained for a little longer but they felt like they made progress quickly.

Again she woke up before him. She always did and she tried to stay as quiet as possible in the arms of the man that she loved so much especially when she imagined it would take some time for it to happen. She wanted to cherish the moment the best she could.

The past twenty-four hours had been the worst of her life but the last ones had given her a lot of hope that they would get through it. She remembered of his eyes when they met in the front yard and how he broke down in her arms in their shower and she actually winced at those memories. Those are things that she would give everything she had to just forget.

"I am here, Honey" he soothed softly kissing her head as he felt her wincing in his arms.

"Did I wake you?"

"No, I just didn't want this moment to end, where I feel you in my arms and my heart seems to threaten to stop beating if I let you move away"

"Ohh, corny Julian. He is absolutely lame and pathetic if you ask me" she chuckled with her eyes closed listening to his heartbeat getting faster though she wouldn't confess her own sappiness.

"I missed wit Brooke and by the way, I always wake up before of you, I just let you think otherwise" he retorted playfully.

"Really because I could swear that the evening breaths were an evidence of your sleep" she looked up to meet his beautiful smile.

"Actually your snoring is" he smirked

"I do not snore" she pouted. She knew she snored and that wasn't her pride of joy.

"Yes you do Honey, but don't get ashamed, that's just one of the perfect things about you and one of my very favorite. One of the many things that makes me love you" he reassured her increasing his grip in her.

"Sappy! So Mr. Cocky – and I guess I mean the actual animal here – do you think anyone else in the house is awake by now? Because this house is too silent for having four kids"

"The alarming clock is Nat. If she wakes up, she has to get up and if she gets up so does everybody else. Can say that Lizzy just loves it about her. But it is too early. The kids went to bed very late last night and I am sure we weren't the only ones exhausted from yesterday" he mused.

"You have a great thing here, Julls. They are great. The kids, your sisters are really nice and I am sure I am yet to meet someone funnier than Dylan" she thought out loud. His family was the picture of a perfect household and she couldn't describe how she felt great being close to this. The only time she had felt it was when she lived with Karen and Lucas but that feeling was gone a long time ago.

"Yeah, it is a good thing. That's why I usually spend more time here than in LA when I am not filming there" he confessed. He also loved to be surrounded by his family and he was thankful they were nothing like their parents.

"Thanks for sharing it with me" teary, she let him know it was important to her.

"Thanks for coming to make it even more special" he honestly offered and he had only realized that she indeed made it perfect. He never felt like he needed anyone by his side to make what he had at Isabella's house amazing. Actually he thought it was pretty perfect but now he could see how wrong he was.

"We are just lame, you know it right?" she smiled wiping a couple of things that rolled her face.

"I don't care. If being lame means being happy, then I plan to be lamer and lamer"

"Yeah…" she smiled pensively about his words. She was willing to be this lame forever if that included him.

"Just like now. I can't look at these beautiful eyes and do not feel like I want to kiss them but then I look just a bit down to even more beautiful lips and I just can't control myself because you are more beautiful than beauty" he exclamed leaning down to met her tempting lips by his. Her morning raspier voice was too much for him to resist.

Brooke didn't waste any time enjoying the sweet taste of his kiss. It felt good to kiss him and feel like it used to be before. She felt the goose bumps erupting in her body. Starting by her neck going down through her arms and even further in her legs. There wasn't a hair of her body that didn't react to his soft touch of his lips.

This time around they felt a lot more comfortable in each other's arms than the day before and soon their kiss started to deepen. It was like they had found the missing link of their chemistry. And they had a lot of chemistry.

Soon she completed flipped her body over his and while his hands rested in her waist, her own moved to underneath his t-shirt, caressing his chest.

"I missed you" he muttered in her lips.

"I still miss you. Haven't had enough yet for it to pass" she broke briefly the kiss only to resume it with more fever. She wasn't lying or trying to seduce him, it was the truest feeling she had in that moment, except for the love she nurtured to him. She needed more of Julian to make up for not only the last couple of weeks but specially the events of the days before.

Julian quickly responded to the intense kiss and the grip of his hands on her increased. He still needed more from Brooke. Actually he needed more and better though he still wasn't sure if that would be the best moment for them to make love. He was afraid to hurt her feelings by moving it to the next level after so much heartbreak. He didn't want her to think he was looking for some sex. It was anything like that. His body needed to feel hers to heal some of the wounds, to prove to him that she was indeed his.

He followed her actions but didn't take the lead at any moment. He would let Brooke lead the way and whatever she wanted it was okay with him. First because anything she was willing to do he was willing to get and also because he wanted to do what she needed to have, no matter what it was and he wasn't sure if sex was what she had in mind.

She deepened the kisses and moved her hands from underneath his shirt to the back of neck. Soon the first moans were leaving her mouth and she started to rub her body in his to which his member quickly answered.

"You are perfect Brooklyn" he whispered looking in her eyes as they stopped to get some air.

"I miss you so much" she said again. She couldn't avoid repeating the comment. Her body missed his touch, his body on hers and especially his body _in _hers.

He could see written right here in her face that she wanted them to continue their makeup session and go further. She looked at him as if she was hungry of him and he couldn't read better her expressions.

"Do you want this?" he asked as he held tightly her waist. She leaned up her upper body making her midsection pressuring his own even stronger. Brooke only nodded and offered a small smile. As much as she didn't know if bringing sex to the mix would lead them to do not handle with the real problems they had she couldn't resist the man under her. It was more than she could resist. She loved Julian and she never felt what she did when she made love with him. She hated this expression but having sex was too small to express how it felt to have such a deep and intense experience like they had the few days they did it.

She slowly pulled off her dress of the night before and sat in his groin with only her lingerie. Julian also got rid of his shirt. He had taken off his pants before they slept the night before but Brooke only realized it when she joined him under the comforter. She had been too distracted paying attention in his room to see his actions.

"I don't have any condoms" he told her but she answered it by kissing him passionately. "Pill, remember?" she muttered breaking the contact of their lips briefly.

Julian never really felt that comfortable about having unprotected sex with Brooke. Not that he thought she would pass him anything. He was sure she was as healthy as possible and that her sex life was the opposite of what the websites he researched said. He appreciated the mutual trust that she had showed towards him but still he felt uneasy because of her. He didn't need her to do it for him. Sex with her would always be perfect regardless if there was something between their bodies though he really loved to feel her completely.

He slowly turned around his side and was now over her perfect body. There wasn't any flaw about Brooke. Her face was like one of a porcelain doll that had been carefully and meticulously drawn. Her body was curved. She had perfect breasts; her stomach was flat but still holding a feminine charm; her legs were toned and her thighs just the perfect size. "You are so beautiful" he breathed out admiring her beauty.

Brooke smiled to him and reached for his boxers' waistband and pushed it down his thighs. Julian finished what she started and quickly he moved to her own underwear also taking it off.

He was already ready for her and so was she. He resumed his actions in her mouth and his hands found their way to her breasts. Everything in his moves was slow and she could feel how much love and care he put in everything he did. He moved his mouth to her jaw line and headed to her ears, kissing and sucking the spot that he knew would drive her crazy.

She moaned under him calling out his name as he continued his ministrations in her body. He soon moved his lips to her chest, reaching her nipple quickly. Brooke tossed her body under his as her arousal built.

Julian had barely started but he couldn't hold himself anymore. He needed to be inside her. He reached for both of her hands and placing them by her head's side he positioned himself in her entrance. Brooke moaned in anticipation and raised her hips to meet his hard member.

"Easy Honey. Look at me" he asked and by now she was used to this. Julian liked to look at her as they made love and she thought it was enchanting and lovely.

She did as she was said and showing her his perfect grin he reassured her "I love you Brooklyn" and as he finished his grin was even bigger and more beautiful, if that was even possible.

"I love you too, Julian" her voice raspier because she was aroused but also because she had woke up not so earlier before.

He leaned down and gave her a quick peck in the lips and arched his upper body back slowly entering her. At first he was looking at her pleasuring face but soon the feeling was so overwhelming that he closed his eyes and tilted his head, moaning softly.

Brooke had never seen anything so beautiful in her life. It wasn't only the ecstatic expression of his face but how his body adored hers. The way his voice was raspy and deep as he got himself inside of her almost made her come.

He intertwined his fingers in hers as he felt he reached her bottom. Brooke fluttered her eyes as she felt him completely filling her. None of them moved they just stood there feeling their bodies to the fullest. As Julian felt her very wet center relaxing around him he started to thrust her, very slowly.

His eyes were now open again as he watched her entranced features and her sexy moans. He didn't fasten his pace. He wanted to have Brooke connected to him for as longer as possible. Brooke felt that he wasn't speeding up and opening her eyes she was met by his chocolate ones. He captured her tender look and leaning down he kissed her passionately. Their hands stayed interlaced by her head's side as they found an addicting rhythm. They were in no hurry as they felt their bodies merging in pleasure and love.

Brooke tried to release her hands to caress the man that she loved so much but he didn't allow her to. He wanted to keep it like that. He knew it wasn't as pleasuring to her as the other times used to be after twenty minutes inside of her. Truth to be told the other times she would already had come at least once but today wasn't about releasing. Today wasn't about orgasms. It was about their bodies reconnecting and he wouldn't trade that for anything though his own climax was soon now.

Brooke recognized his grunts and she knew in no time he would release in her. The feeling that she missed so much and that now was about to happen. She didn't care that she wasn't there yet and she wasn't sure if he was up to a second round for her to reach it but now all she wanted was to feel his milk flooding her walls. "Come to me, Baby" she whispered in his ear, biting his earlobe and Julian couldn't hold back the moan as he heard her sensual voice.

"You first, Dimples" he barely voiced.

"No, you first, Baby" she muttered shrinking herself against his erection and Julian couldn't resist. As much as he tried to hold his release she was too tight and arousing for him to stop his body strong reaction.

For the first time that day he sped up his thrusts and it didn't take him too many to finally came, kissing her lips hungrily.

"This is not fair, you know" he smiled breaking the intense kiss in many quick pecks.

"What? Now you own me big time and when I say big I really mean it" she smiled and blinked to him. "Also it was amazing, I have nothing to complain"

Julian tried to recover his breath from the kiss and the release and rolling in the bed he brought her body over his "I am looking forward to pay you" he smirked kissing her "Just give me a couple of minutes and you will see how much interest I'll put on it"

Brooke snuggled in his chest just like both of them loved her to do and they were making sexual jokes when a crying Austin invaded his uncle's room.

Julian and Brooke had been startled by the little boy's screams, calling out for his Uncle as the tears spilled from his chocolate eyes. Brooke had immediately pulled the comforter over their bodies but Julian was already looking for his boxers underneath it.

"Come here, Mini-J" Brooke offered to the crying boy and he obeyed lying over the comforter in her chest. "What happened, buddy?" she asked to the boy as Julian dressed his boxer up under the sheets.

"The bad guy. He take me and put me a hole and the big bear attack me" he cried out.

Brooke wanted to properly take the boy in her arms and calm him down but she was naked and probably smelling like sex. She was ashamed as it was but she felt so much for the boy.

"Thanks for backing me up here" Julian said taking Austin in his arms "Uncle Ully is here, kiddo, nobody will attack you in my arms, okay?" he soothed to a still crying hard Austin.

"I'll be back soon" he leaned down kissing her forehead and leaving the room, calmly talking to Austin trying to put the boy at ease.

Brooke quickly found her dress, putting it on and following Julian. As she reached the doorway of the room of the crying child her heart fluttered in her chest by seeing the scene in front of her.

Julian was sat in the chair, rocking Austin who was laid against his chest, assuring the little boy that he didn't need to fear anything and that he was going to stay. Julian rubbed his hair with one hand while the other held him against his chest.

He soon realized Brooke's presence and turned his head around to see her holding a tender gaze on them. 'I am sorry' he mouthed as he still rocked Austin that had already stopped crying but was yet to sleep.

"It's beautiful" she offered walking towards them.

"See, Kiddo, even Auntie Brooke is here. Nobody will ever come here" he turned his attention back to his nephew that only nodded as he was already sleepy.

"What happened?" Isabella entered the room fixing her robe. Surely she had listened to her oldest son cries and being the bear mother she had always been; she quickly made it to Austin's room.

"He had a nightmare" Brooke explained and Isabella just nodded smiling to the sight in front of her. She loved her brother's relationship to her kids.

"I'll let you make him sleep" she yawned walking away being followed by Brooke.

"I'll wait for you in the bedroom" she whispered and he only nodded turning his attention back to the boy in his arms.

"He is great with them" she breathed out as she met Isabella outside the room.

"He had always been. It is natural to him" the older brunette smiled.

"He would make a great dad" Brooke mused and her mind quickly drifted to her fertility issues. It wasn't fair that she denied it to him. Surely it was already to be confirmed but her mother's recent problems – which she inherited – had led Victoria to do a hysterectomy because of some cysts that Brooke also had and removed while a teenager.

"Brooke?" Isabella called out for the brunette that was startled by the doctor.

"He is back to sleep" Julian come out of the room before Brooke could answer Isabella.

He could sense that Brooke was nervous and a bit uneasy and he couldn't understand why as Isabella held a puzzled face.

"I guess we should follow his lead" she offered with a small smile but Julian knew better than her Dimples-less smiles.

"Sure. Thanks Julls" Isabella shrugged and walked back to her bedroom.

"Is everything okay, Brooke?" he asked concerned. He knew for sure Isabella wouldn't have said anything to let Brooke like that but the unpredictable woman walking by his side now could really just zone out in the harmless comment.

"Yes, Baby, we were talking about how you would make a great Daddy" she weakly smiled.

"And does it make you sad?" he teased but inside he was fearful of the answer.

"Of course not. You are the reason why I gave the adoption up. I want my baby to have a father. Not any father but someone like you" she mused but he was yet to be convinced by the not so confident expression she held.

They got inside his room and led straight to the bed where they cuddle just like they were before Austin came. Julian could still feel Brooke tense in his arms and her next words confirmed his impressions.

"Do you think… do you think we could have some time apart? I want to try to forget what happened yesterday but right now I don't see anything else as I look to your face. I guess with the kids around it is okay or even with your family but when we get back to New York, do you think we can take a break?" she told him half of the reasons why she was asking for that. While everything she said was true she was also feeling bad for the possibility of not being able to give him any kids. The relentless voice in the back of her mind warned her that it was too early to think about having kids with him but should she purse a relationship with him if she was sterile? Julian was the most fathering man that she ever met and she didn't know if she would make it with him knowing that she would deny him such thing.

"Take a break?" he asked amused somehow.

"I need it and I know I have no right to ask you this after all I did to you. It is just I want to try to forget your sad eyes; I want to pretend I didn't hurt you that bad. I need it, Julls, I really need it"

"No, no, no the break is not the problem" his lips curved but it was bittersweet just like everything they did ever since they started talking to each other. "Actually there is no problem at all because I guess to have a break we'd need to a couple, right?" his sounded unsure and it was funny because it wasn't as if he feared that he over-read her words but because he was dumbfounded by the revelation.

She somewhat smiled too. Their smiles that was somehow goofy. She hadn't realized what she really suggested it until the words slip his mouth. "I guess we do" she offered.

"So as you think to be around the kids and the guys is okay, would you stay until Sunday?" his sappy smile was now becoming bigger and it was in its way to be the grin she loved and that she knew would come with a simple answer so she just nodded and watched as his features changed.

"I would love to" she showed her dimples and as she expected his broad grin appeared.

"Great because I want to be with you, Brooklyn, I want to be with you every day of my life and I will wait for as many days, weeks, months or years until you are ready for this"

"Thanks for being this understanding. It makes a whole difference to me" her features turned serious and her voice cracked.

"That's because I love you Dimples" he smiled and leaned to kiss her and the moment the word left his mouth he felt like he had been restored inside. He had finally been able to say something that to anyone else would sound simple but for him was special. She was _his Dimples_. It wasn't simply like calling her Brookie or B. Davis or any other pet or nick name. Calling her Brooklyn reminded him of the woman he wanted to marry, of the woman that changed his life, of the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with and to give him the kids he thought he would never have of his own. Calling her Dimples meant all the ordinary and small things that Brooke represented to him, like the childish sexy girl that slipped her foot over his legs in the restaurant or that didn't let him get away with any of his wit comments, always firing him back and leading him to just smile at her. Calling her Brooklyn represented his love and their future, calling her Dimples meant she was his. It also represented their present; the fact that they had a present even if only for a couple of days until the break but at least she was his now. His Dimples.

"I love you too, Julls" she reciprocated his feelings and snuggled in his chest to sleep smiling at the nickname that she loved. Feeling her doing her puppet thing in his chest quickly led him to fall asleep as well.

* * *

"Ully, Ully" Jayden slapped his uncle's face waking him up. Brooke who had been awake chuckled softly in the action of the thirteen months old.

"Good morning to you too, Jay" Julian smiled to his nephew that at the sight of his awake uncle yelled his nickname countless times hitting his little hands in Julian's face for his excitement. It led the other three kids to enter the room and soon Brooke and Julian realized that they had been trapped.

"When we go to park?" Logan asked straight to the point as the two year old always did, leading his older sister to roll her eyes and nudge him.

"Do you see it, Auntie Brooke? I guess I was set up and you did the dirty job, didn't you Jay?" he messed up with the boy's hair who laughed nonstop.

"Auntie Brooke promised we would go to the park and that you would go too" Julia explained and Brooke blushed. She felt embarrassed because she didn't even talk to him before she promised it to the kids.

"She did?" Julian looked up to his girlfriend. _ Girlfriend, _he thought. He needed to meet someone he knew in their little ride because he couldn't wait to introduce her as _his girlfriend._

The kids and Brooke giggled as they saw Julian goofy smile. He hadn't realized he was looking like that let alone that they had noticed it.

"What?" he asked but the smile didn't change.

"Nothing, it is just you look like a fool" Julia laughed and the others followed their elder sister.

"Well, let's have… breakfast … and change… before we leave... okay?" Julian he spoke pausing to kiss each of the kids' cheeks.

"Just for the record, who woke up earlier?" Brooke chuckled standing up to lead to her bedroom.

"Just for the record, who did the hard work earlier?" he jumped grabbing her by the waist and tickling her in the stomach leading her giggles to be heard in the whole house. "And where do you think you are going, Brookie" he continued his actions.

"Stop… It… Can't… breathe" she said between laughs.

"Change into new clothes, you do realize that I am still wearing last night's dress" she gasped, recovering her breath as he stopped.

"You look beautiful, as always" he pecked her lips quickly "Wait for you downstairs?" he stole one more peck as she nodded and both left his room to their different ways.

* * *

He went to the bathroom to do his morning personal care and soon he was in the kitchen. As he expected everybody in the house was already awake. Sure enough it was almost ten in the morning and usually the kids were up around eight. But Thanksgiving had been demanding, stressing and full and he knew for sure today everybody woke up later.

"So Ully, why is that when I woke up and looked at the doors across my room only to find one closed and the other ajar open, the latter empty I must say" Nat teased her brother receiving a deadly glare from her sister that nodded her head towards the kids that were having their cereal.

"I could explain you, Nattie-Hattie but I guess you already know the answer" he walked to the cabinet and took two bowls. He had never seen Broke eating cereal and he wasn't sure if she liked it but they didn't have time to stop at any café and Isabella was sort of neurotic about the healthy stuff the kids ate.

"Isn't today pancakes day?" he whined as he prepared both his and Brooke's breakfast.

"No silly, that's Saturday" Julia explained.

"But we have guests!" he looked up to his sister.

"I'm sorry Julls, I was going to buy some things for the breakfast yesterday but I had my hands were full with something else" she apologetically said. She didn't want to bring up yesterday's events but she didn't want him and Brooke to think that she was a horrible hostess that didn't even bother to offer a nice breakfast.

"It is okay, Lizzy. It's just I never seen Brooke having cereal for breakfast" he shrugged off.

"That's because you were always pampering me with Villa's best food" the dimpled brunette entered the kitchen smiling.

"Auntie Brooke! You look so beautiful" the little girl offered.

"She is, isn't she Princess?" Julian talked to his niece but his eyes never left his girlfriend. She was indeed beautiful in a white summer dress with printed red little flowers and a sweater that was hanging in her arm. It was only chilly but she knew North Carolina weather better than that. Outside would probably have a cold breeze but she wasn't up to jeans.

"Julian" she hissed softly blushing.

"I can't resist, Honey" he walked towards her kissing her quickly.

"Eww" the boys said all together but Julia laughed while her parents and aunt smiled to the couple.

"Brooke, you are a beautiful woman, there is no problem that your sappy whatever says it. We can all see it and it is amusing to have lame Julian around. What did you use to say about Dy and Iz? Something along the lines, 'You guys are pathetic, embarrassing and puke inducing'" Nat chuckled and she knew by the looks of the couple this morning and what they had possibly done the last night, that she could joke about their status.

"Boyfriend. Her sappy boyfriend FYI and Brooke and I are not even close to Lizzy and Dy" he slid his hand to Brooke's waist that was blushing even more by now.

"Oh honey, Brooke certainly isn't, but you are way worse and it is all the beginning I can only imagine where it goes from here" Isabella tapped his shoulder and turned to Brooke "I am sorry I don't have anything better than cereal and milk. I don't let the kids have fat and sugar in the morning and I didn't have time to buy anything. But tomorrow is pancakes day, so assuming you are staying with us for a few days, tomorrow will be better"

"Cereal is great. I don't really have the habit to have breakfast. Julian is the one that spoiled me with this café food" she smiled thankfully.

"Mom says breakfast is the most important meal of the day" Julia added she ate her cereal.

"And make we strong" Austin completed.

"And that's why Uncle Jully makes sure Auntie Brookie eats every day" he explained as he leaned to kiss her cheek, handing her the bowl he filled to her.

"Thanks, Baby" she let her hand slip in his arm as he seat in the stool by her side.

The adults didn't say too much, they just watched as the new couple interacted and how they kept the kids attention. Dylan had whispered some words to both sisters that went totally unnoticed by his brother-in-law and his lady. It was as if they could only see each other and the kids when they demanded attention and as children they certainly did.

In no time Logan was in Julian's lap. His uncle fed him with of his own cereal while Brooke employed her story-telling skills that Julian advised her to let for daylight moments, like now. Brooke was great with the kids and for a while he let Logan listening to the stories of her rich childhood while he was more mesmerized by her than by the kids.

"Try to close your mouth, the drool is going to flood us" Nathalie teased as she took away the empty bowls. Julian only smiled shyly. He couldn't hide how he felt about Brooke. Not even if he wanted.

Soon enough Dylan was also engaged in Brooke's stories. They started making jokes and the kids were laughing a lot while Julian stood up to help his sisters get everything clean and organized.

"You seem much happier today, Jully, I guess a girlfriend is what you needed" Isabella winked to her brother.

"Yeah but it won't last" he sighed watching Brooke and the kids cracking up on Dylan's joke.

"Way to be upbeat, Julls" Nathalie retorted.

"She told me she needs a break, that she needs time to heal herself. I understand it, I won't make the same mistake again because it only led the two of us to be hurt and I know I will be hurt if she is not ready for this" he looked up to the woman he loved so much as she showed her beautiful dimpled smile. He wanted her now and for good, no breaks included but he would do everything she asked him.

"Wow that was the fastest break-up I ever heard" Nathalie smirked because she knew that Brooke request was for the best and also that it wouldn't last.

"Actually we broke up before we agreed in being a couple" he smirked lightly.

"Give her this time and also use it for you, Julls. You may think that you are ready but believe me if you were you would have let her explain before you did all that. Actually that was totally out of character. What happened?" Isabella asked as she put the dishes in the washer.

"I don't know. I guess the fear of losing her is bigger than the love I feel. I was so hurt and devastated knowing that she deceived me that when I saw her here I didn't think for one moment that if she really wanted to only use me or if she didn't care about me she wouldn't be here to actually fix things. I guess acting out of fear doesn't make me a better man" he confessed and this time his eyes abandoned her figure. It was still hard for him to remember everything that happened yesterday.

"Well believe me, the fear will go away and I guess that little lie wasn't enough to break your trust in her, was it?" Isabella pondered.

"Not even close. I know she is even more afraid than me and not only about losing me but also hurting me. It is very hard for her and I need to give her this time for her to know that she can trust in me and in my love for her" he offered a weak smile. He knew she needed it and as Isabella told him he might need it too but still his heart didn't want any break tough hid head knew it was for the best.

"Now that's the brother that I know and love" Nathalie wrapped her arms around his waist and he brought his sister to his chest, messing up with her hair a bit.

"We are taking the kids to the park, any of you want to come?" he changed the subject as they finished cleaning.

"I have to take care of lunch. Count me out" Isabella explained.

"Well I guess I am going. You and Dylan need sex-quality time. We've been here for a week so I guess we own you some privacy" Nathalie winked to Isabella.

"Unlike you Nattie, my world doesn't revolve around it" the older sister rolled her eyes

"Neither does mine. Did I have any in the past four days?" she carelessly retorted.

"Whoa, does it mean you already made a victim in Wilmington?" a shocked Isabella tried to remember the events of five days ago to no avail.

"Come on, Iz, you are the only one that isn't getting some. By the way, don't wait for me to come back with the kids. I have other plans after the park" and her mischievous smile showed her sister that indeed she was the only one that wasn't having any and that maybe Dylan would be willing to change it as they would have the afternoon to them.

"We won't have lunch at home, Lizzy, enjoy your day" Julian kissed the cheek of his sister and headed to where Brooke, Dylan and the kids were.

"Are you ready, Girlfriend?" he came behind Brooke and wrapped his arms around her waist, kissing lightly her cheek.

"Yeah, but can we drop the girlfriend/boyfriend thing? It doesn't really bring me good memories" she looked apologetically at him, turning around in the stool.

"Whatever you want Honey" he now kissed her forehead and turned to the kids helping Dylan to get them ready.

Brooke stood sat in the stool thinking about the bad memories in her head. She would give anything to change what her last Boyfriend had caused. She didn't blame Lucas entirely because as Julian said, teenagers are immature, but still he changed her life and she knew she had something amazing with Julian now but still she wasn't ready to deal with it. The worst part was that all those insecurities led her to lie to the man she loved so much and that lie had hurt him to immeasurable extents. She wished she could let it go. She wished her insecurities to be vanished as the feelings for the blond brooding boy had been throughout the years. But Lucas let his mark in her and knowing that she couldn't be happy because of this made her hate herself. She should have never allowed him to do that to her. But now she had a reason to erase this mark. _A beautiful, worthy, amazing reason_, she wondered as she watched the man she loved putting a jacket on his thirteen years old nephew.

* * *

_AN. First of all I am sorry it took me too much but ff doesn't let me load new files. I had to replace the content of one of old chapters._

_This one is about their reunion and what led Brooke to hold up a bit. She is still handling the previous day and she is also afraid of denying him kids. She loves him too much to deny him something this big. Also she is dealing with the consequences of her relationship with Lucas. That's the reason of the main mess in the first place. If she wasn't this insecure she wouldn't have lied, they wouldn't have fought and now she wouldn't have to deal. I already thought of how she will get over it and it will probably be revealed in a couple of chapters.  
_

_The next one is yet to be written (entirely, I've got 0 words so far) and I am not sure how many updates there will be next week because of this. Hopefully two but most probably one. Let's see it._

_I want to thank Artemi, Syrine, Sab, sb1218, __Kayla, kaos2405, OTHHB, Elilo, Sophie (hope you are not snowed in anymore), sb1218, Y0uNMcK33, xxAshley, FriendlyGirl333, SouthernBellBrooke and CheeryGirl for the reviews!_

_Talk to you soon;_

_Babi_


	28. No Julian & No Brooke: No B Davis

**Lying Helpless in Her Arms**

**Chapter 27 - No B. Davis**

* * *

The days in New York had never been colder to Brooke. Ever since she came back from North Carolina, in the same flight as Julian she felt as if her life was freezing. She needed him around her but she wasn't ready for it yet.

As days passed her walls grew higher instead of fall down. He was still a constant presence in her life and being around him and do not kiss him proved the relentless voice of her mind that she would survive without him. Except that she didn't_ want_ to survive without him.

She had been visiting the studio every week and sometimes more than once by week. It was now one week away of Christmas and she knew the drill. Julian would soon release the crew to the holiday's season and she would only meet him again in the year about to start. Was she ready to go almost twenty days without seeing the man that she loved so much? It had been only a little bit more than one month and a half since she had met him and as each day passed by she loved him more. And as each day passed by she was more insecure not only about their potential relationship but also her role in that. Her walls were growing again but it wasn't to protect her. For the first time it was to protect someone else. It was to protect him.

The way he moved around. The way he talked to the crew. The way he directed some of the rehearsal scenes. Everything about Julian was mesmerizing. The silly grin that never left his face when he was around her. She had made it to the set a few times without him noticing her and she could see the difference in his features when he knew she was there and when he didn't. Also Bianca and Kate had assured her many times that even a blind could see how he changed at her presence. It was as if he was six years old all over again and every time Brooke appeared it was Christmas morning.

Julian was a tortured man. A happy tortured man if that was even possible. He had given up trying to understand how he felt and why he felt like that, the bittersweet element of their 'relationship' was hard to understand and impossible to explain. His days were miserable when he didn't see her. He was doing his best to give her time and space to figure out what they would do. He also used this time to clear his ideas though they had been cleared in the first day back in New York. He couldn't go another day without Brooke. He contemplated how much the brunette girl changed his life from night to day. He didn't even recognize himself anymore and he was happy for the change. He thought he was a better man and he was sure he was happier than he had ever been in his life, even if he didn't have her with him. He thought that thought alone didn't make any sense at all but still it was how he felt.

It was torturing to go days without seeing her and it was even harder to have her around and to not touch her silky skin or do not kiss her velvet lips. But it also made his heart happy. To see her hazel eyes filled of pride while she watched him work. To see her lips opening ajar with lust to kiss him with as much desire as he wanted to kiss her when they were alone in his office or out. To see her playing with her hair trying to distract herself from his devouring gaze. He tried to be his normal self around her. He didn't want to look tempting. He wanted to make things easy for her but he couldn't control himself. There was nothing his body wanted and needed more than to touch her again and kiss her without a care to the world. Just kiss her for as long as life allowed him to.

But he was happy she was always coming back. Even when she didn't have any designs or clothes to deliver. Even when she volunteered to be part of the staff meetings they had once by week.

"Knock, knock" the object of his daydream said from the doorway.

"B. Davis, my favorite costume designer" the broad grin met his face as he walked to meet the woman he did nothing but think about every minute of his days.

"Julls" she hugged the man in front of her. They always did it. Ever since their cab let her in front of her building when they came back from Wilmington they bid and greet each other with a hug.

A hug that wasn't for one second friendly. Starting by its length. They embraced each other way much longer than any friends would. Even if such friends hadn't seen each other for five years or so. It was also a very touching hug. They slid their hands in each other's bodies. The caress always comforted and warmed their hearts and bodies and that's why it was so hard to break the contact, leading them to stay minutes holding each other. Brooke rested her head in his chest and very often closed her eyes as they talked or just stood there.

It was the only physical contact they had except for some occasional and casual handholds when they had lunch or dinner together after some hours 'working'. Lunches and dinners that were the highlight of their days and sometimes weeks. Where he felt like he could kiss her hand the way both of them loved when her eyes closed just like his and they dreamed about reuniting for good.

Still in each other's arms they could feel their heartbeat and how their breathing became heavier. Brooke felt tempted to snuggle in his chest but every single time she resisted the idea. She could only imagine how torturing it was for Julian to have her in his arms and do not deepen the physical contact and before any of her interests, feelings or pain, she always thought about Julian's.

"I missed you around this week" he whispered in her hair still holding her.

"It was hectic. I had to do Christmas shopping. It was so wearing down and frustrating. I've been looking for something to buy to you for the past three days and I can't find anything. I thought maybe seeing you again would give me some inspiration" her eyes were still closed as her face rested in his chest, her arms wrapping his waist.

"I have to confess I had no problem at all buying yours" he teased. He knew how to get Brooke Davis crazy and he was positive he had just done it. And as in so many other times he was absolutely right about the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with.

"You are so telling me" she detached her body from his and for a moment he regretted the banter he was about start.

"It is only fair if you tell me yours too"

"I just told you that I have no idea of what I will give you!" she slapped him playfully in the chest "Jerk" she smiled and there was nothing that she wanted more than to kiss him right there right then. The way he smiled at her knowing that he had provoked her just like he always did and she had easily picked up his bait.

"So when you tell me, I tell you, I promise but for now I can assure that you will love it. Scratch that, you will love me for that" he walked back to his desk smirking and imagining her lightheartedly infuriated face. But this time he couldn't be more wrong. He was playing with fire and surely Brooke Davis would never let him to get away that easily.

"Fine then I guess I can only be this ecstatic when I finally get your gift because there is no way I am letting you give it to me before I can give yours" she explained and he immediately turned in his tracks looking at her mischievous smile.

"Bitch" he smiled and now it was his time to want to kiss her endlessly. He didn't know how he was enduring all those days battering that much with her and do not jumping to take her and make her his once again. She was so sexy, childish and beautiful that it was hard for him to even breathe normally around her.

He had never mentioned the break they were taking. He respected her wish and he was really willing to wait for as long as she wanted or needed but he wouldn't deny that was the hardest thing he had ever done in his life.

"When are you leaving to Wilmington?" she changed the subject. She had waited for him to invite her there many times though she knew after missing Thanksgiving in her own house she owed Naley big time but at the same time she wanted to visit Isabella and the kids again. Truth to be told she had missed the whole family and not only the kids.

After she left the southern city it was even clearer to her how great both Julian's siblings were to her. They never made a comment about what happened. They could have hated her for all she did to Julian but they did quite the opposite. They were there for her even when they could have been there for him. They didn't let her feel like she had really screwed up or that she didn't deserved their brother. She had no idea what would have happened to her and ultimately to her relationship with Julian if Isabella hadn't being there for her.

"I didn't set things up with Nattie. I guess I am just waiting for her to show up again and then we leave. It is not like it is really hard to find tickets to Wilmington, even during holidays"

"I've got the gifts for the kids" she tried once more. Sometimes Julian seemed so slow and she thought it was odd. When they first started seeing each other he could catch what she was saying even when she didn't mean for him to catch anything and now she had gave him so many clues the whole week that she wanted to go there but she was still waiting for an invitation and he was totally oblivious to her attempts.

Julian actually didn't read into her too much. He actually misread her. He thought she was only showing him interest in his family to be the sweet girl she had always been and that time and space certainly didn't imply traveling together. He didn't invite her because he didn't want her to be forced to say yes.

"You are spoiling them" he smirked

"That's what Aunties are for, isn't?" she offered her beautiful smile and naughty wink.

"Only special Aunties" he told her while his eyes showed how much she was special and he knew she was very special to his family too.

"Well they are certainly special kids, in a special family, that deserve special care" she walked towards him and sat in the desk, just by his side, their legs rubbing each other's.

"I mean you are special, Brooklyn. They couldn't have asked for a more special Aunt" he looked deep in her eyes.

"Thank you" she uttered and their gazes kept locked for a while. They didn't use any words but their eyes spoke volumes. The desire, love and affection never went away. Everything was there and if possible it was even more intense than before.

Julian loved those hazel eyes. Everything in Brooke was unique and that surely included her eyes. Someone like her wouldn't have the average blue eyes. It wasn't the usual green either. Her eyes had their own color. Even if many people had hazel eyes, hers were just different. Not only the color but the intensity of her look and how she showed her emotions through them. He still remembered when they met and how it had been one of the first things he noticed about her. And one of the first things that made him fall in love with because the soul they showed was just too beautiful for him to resist.

He could look into those eyes for the rest of his days and he was sure he wouldn't get tired especially if they showed him all the feelings they were showing now.

Brooke loved the man in front of her more than she could imagine she would ever love someone. She not only loved him but also admired, cherished and desired him. Julian Baker was a man of so many facets and each of them was more interesting, seductive and beautiful than the previous one. He was arrogant but also sweet. He cared a lot about people but he didn't get anyone's shit. He loved his job so much but he didn't live as if there wasn't anything else. He was a caring brother and definitely a great uncle. He had flaws and she knew a few of them but she just couldn't remember any when she looked at those piercing but yet tender eyes. When she looked in those eyes she could see all the things that made her fall in love with him so quickly and with all her heart. She could see his feelings of admiration, love and adoration.

"So will you give them the gifts for me?" she whispered after several minutes.

"Of course" his voice was just as low as hers and they didn't break the gaze.

"Tell them I love them and I miss them as crazy and I would love to be there" she breathed out.

"I am sure they miss and love you just as much and certainly not only they"

"I also don't love only them" and the warmth in her eyes just made his heart race in his chest.

Another silence followed. They both knew who they were talking about. It could be his sisters and brother-in-law but it wasn't. They knew each other enough to know the look they had now in their faces. The adoring look that gave both of them hopes that they would make it.

"I am going to stop by to let the presents tomorrow" she came out of the trance moving from her position and walking to the opposite side of the table, across him.

"You really didn't have to Brooke"

"I wanted to. By the way can you give me your sisters' numbers?" she opened her purse to get her cell phone to register the information she had just asked. She was hopeful that if she called Isabella for any reason maybe the older brunette would do what her brother didn't and finally invite her to go there. She also thought there was a small chance that the sisters would help her to finally choose something to give to Julian but honestly she would only try this if she couldn't find anything at all. She wanted it to be special and meaningful to _them. _She wanted it to somehow remember him of her and of what they had.

"Well I guess I should get going" she offered quietly as they again didn't know what to say though they knew by heart what they would like to say.

"Thank you for passing by" he walked towards her and she was comforted that at least they would share another special hug as he opened his arms.

"I miss you" she muttered in his shirt. The bittersweet relationship they had after Thanksgiving was finally hitting her as she realized that he didn't make any move towards reconciliation though she had been the one to ask for a time apart in the first place.

He increased his grip around her body and holding her pretty tight he confessed the same "I miss you too"

That had been a landmark in their time apart. They hadn't confessed any feeling to each other yet. Not even the smallest one. Though they could clearly see all the feelings they nurtured for each other in their gaze they were yet to listen to any word and now listening to the mutual confession their hearts fluttered in their chests and Brooke could actually listen to Julian's as she still rested in his muscular body.

Julian's heart had reacted not only because of the obvious truth she had confessed but because it was the move he had been waiting ever since they came back. The moment when she would open herself to him even if just a bit. When she would show her vulnerability and vulnerable Brooke was enchanting.

"Have breakfast with me tomorrow" he pleaded as he allowed himself to rub her soft hair.

"I would love too" she finally smiled seeing he was trying. She needed to know the obvious. She needed her mind to know what her heart already knew in a long time. He still wanted her and somehow she would spend the holidays with him. Even if he didn't invite her.

"Villa's or your house?" he asked.

"I guess your room actually. Naley is still at home and I don't want to share you with anyone. Not with the people at Villa's not with my best friends and godson" she suggested as she was still attached to him.

Julian used all his self-control to stop himself from kissing her. She was so perfect in his arms, just like she always used to be. Their bodies were a perfect fit and she smelled so good and her skin was so soft and her voice was driving him crazy.

"So see you at seven?" she confirmed.

"Yes. It is perfect" he kissed her forehead and they broke apart of their very long embrace.

* * *

The night had never seemed so longer to Julian. No matter how much he tried he still couldn't sleep. He spent the whole night thinking about the woman he loved and it was like if he could still feel her in his arms. The warmth of her skin made him feel so alive and now that she was gone to her house he felt like there wasn't any life in him.

Thankfully the day was dawning and he didn't have to wait much longer. He was going to take a shower and had straight to Villa's and pick her favorites. The breakfast was definitely one of his favorite moments with her. One of the best things they had when they were seeing each other.

As much as he wanted to think that they had made progressed as they were in a relationship, even if a stand-by relationship he felt like what they had some weeks ago was better than now. At least he kissed, hugged and had sex with her back them. They were intimate and had something to look forward at the end of their days but now it was somewhat melancholic.

He decided he needed to take a shower and try to clean up a bit of the lack of sleep he had in the past night and maybe it would also help him to ease his mind.

He was still in his bathroom, drying his body when he heard his front door shutting. It was uncommon because the hotel staff never really entered his suite like that. He quickly finished his work with the towel and headed to the living room with it wrapped around his waist.

Much to his shock Brooke, his Brooklyn, was standing in the middle of his room with a sweet smile in her face.

"I wanted to surprise you" she offered simply.

"I guess that's the best surprise I've ever got in my life" he reached for her, helping her with the bags.

"I guess the first time around didn't work out as I planned" she commented and her face dropped but he was fast to raise her chin with his hand "I will always love you for going to Wilmington on Thanksgiving" he assured her.

It was the first time he had said he loved her ever since they arrived in New York. People use to say that a picture is worth a thousand words but for Brooke and Julian it wasn't like that now. They could see in each other's eyes and bodies how much they loved each other but they needed to listen to the actual words. They needed to confirm their perceptions and in that very moment Brooke's heart fluttered in her chest.

After their pseudo confession in the morning they needed a real one and Julian decided to start the process. And as he imagined it indeed ignited Brooke to do the same.

"And I will always love you for asking me to go there. The best invitation ever" she looked deep in his eyes and they were again lost in their gazes.

And then it finally hit Julian. After her innumerous attempts to make him realize that she wanted him to ask her again to spend the holiday with him, he finally understood.

"I'd love to repeat the drill" his hand reached for the side of her face and she closed her eyes at his touch. It was like in the cartoons. His fingers brushed her skin and it was like it inflamed her own body from that contact point.

"Maybe this time we could go together"

"No misunderstandings, no mismatches"

Their breath was already rugged and their hadn't realized that as the words left their mouths their faces got closer and closer and they were now a inch away of a kiss.

"And you know what else?" he suggested and his eyes kept moving from her eyes to tempting lips.

She only nodded and Julian shivered as her hot breath traveled around his lips. Though he was much taller than her, he had leaned down as the conversation progressed.

"When there are people around us everything seems easier…" he started and she knew where he was going with that.

"… and we don't need to be apart" he finished closing the last inch between their mouths.

The moment their lips touched Brooke's hand immediately found their way to the back of his neck and his to her waist.

The kiss was slow because it was feeding their almost infinite need of one another. The air would soon become a problem if they were too hungry and they just kept a slow pace. Their bodies merged into one and there wasn't a single cell that wasn't warmed by the contact.

"God, I miss you so much!!!" he sounded tortured and relieved altogether and it led Brooke's heart to melt a little bit more.

"I miss you too" she looked up at him and she could actually see tears shimmering in his eyes "I am sorry that I am hurting you a little bit more but I need to prevent a bigger pain to hit you" she completed and her own tears shined in her eyes.

"It is just sometimes I think if we will ever find our way back to each other, if we will ever move from this relationship that doesn't last when only there are only the two of us and that's not your fault" he confessed his true fears.

"I feel like we will. I hope we will. I am trying my best. Haley is helping me a lot and when I need any advice of a stable relationship I always turn to her. Nathan and she had been through a lot of things and they made it and she is sure that we will make it too"

"Is there anything that I can do to help? Do you need me for anything?" he let his fingers run slowly down on her hair. The soft hair that he liked so much to brush and smell.

"I need you, Julian. That's the only thing I need in my life and I promise I will find a way back to you"

"Just remember that I love you, okay?" he leaned more, letting their foreheads connecting their needing bodies.

"It is a good memory that I always carry in my heart, just by the side of my love to you" both of her hands reached for the side of his face while she closed her eyes once again "And that's what make each day that passes by bearable"

Julian could see how vulnerable, fragile and possibly hurt she was in that moment and he did the only thing he could do to the woman he loved. He embraced her with his life. His bigger frame covered her smaller one and her hands dropped from his face to his shoulders while her arm rested against his naked chest.

"Every day you need me, come to me. If you need to see me, see me; if you need to hug me, hug me; if you need to kiss me just kiss me. I am here for you Brooke. I am here because I love you and I am willing to do everything you need me to" he soothed in her hair and it was enough for her to release the many tears that she had been holding back for so many days.

"Why can't it simple? Why can't I just do it? I hate myself for being like this. I wish I was someone else, I wish I wasn't so damaged; I wish I wasn't so weak. I need you more than I can say and still I can't be with you because I am just incapable of doing so" her voice was calm and low. Brooke was tired of the same story playing out in her head. She was tired of all her fears and demons hunting her as she rested her head in the pillow. She was tired of being unhappy.

"I want to kiss you and do not remember of how much I hurt you. I want to make love to you and do not feel like you will be swept away of me at any minute. I want to spend the day with you and do not have to worry that I will screw it up at the end of the week" she continued and Julian could sense that in that moment even the weight of her body was too much for her to resist.

He carefully took her in his arms and going back to his bed he laid her down. The tears in her eyes still fell though not one sound came out of her mouth.

He sat by her side and pulled her against his body, kissing the top of her head as he felt her tears wetting his chest.

"I don't know what I can do to take those fears away, I don't know what happened to you before and I don't know who caused this but I do know that you won't screw up by the end of week. I do know that I won't be swept away of you because there is nothing you can do that will set me apart of you except if that's your will. I almost lost you once and God only knows how much it hurt and I won't ever go through that again. No matter how much you hurt me, no matter how much you avoid me, no matter how much you are afraid of losing me. I won't leave. I feel like my whole life came down to this one moment where I saw your beautiful lips cursing your car behind mine. It was as if I had lived until that moment only to meet you and now that I finally had and I could finally see that something was missing in my life, the biggest part of my life, I won't let it go. I won't let you go" his voice was serene. It was like the water of a quiet river. It brought peace to her heart not only because she believed in every promise he made but also because she felt exactly the same way.

"I'll try harder. I'll dig deeper. I'll go further" she promised nodding her head forcefully in his chest. she couldn't understand why it took her three weeks to finally open up to him again but she was happy she finally did but mainly she was relieved. She could indeed count on Julian.

"And I'll get your back every second of it" he reassured her last thought as if he had read it.

"I love you"

"I love you too"

* * *

_AN: Sorry it took me so much but I had no inspiration to write this chapter and I hope it worked fine. I needed a bridge and also to fill you in about how their relationship had been before the holidays because again this is when everything is going to change - or a little bit after :P._

_I really want to thank all the great reviews I got last chapter - which is my least favorite chapter in this fic. Thanks a lot to Sab, Kayla, sb1218, Artemi, Syrine, MaryOTH, Heath882, HaileyBOTH, OTHHB, SouthernBellBrooke, FriendlyGirl333, Maddie, xxAshley and vampiregurl. I love your reviews!!!!_

_Coming up: Christmas; The Juke story to the kids; Brucas interaction; New Years' resolutions and Brooke finds out something is wrong with her body and yes it is related to the cancer historic in her family. This chapter will be divided in two parts so some of this events will be only part of the second update._

_I'll do my best to update soon. At least once by week but I will still work to make it twice. I had a very full schedule in the past two weeks so I didn't have time to write as much as I used to but I guess things are back on track now._

_Also I started a new Brulian fic - and I know some of you had already checked. Here it is the summary: **Stockholm - **Five bandits. Twenty hostages. Two deaths. One blossing love. What do you do when you fall in love with the enemy? AU. Suspense, crime and surely drama and romance are the elements involved._

_Talk to you soon,_

_Babi  
_


	29. No Julian & No Brooke: No Brulian Pt I

**Lying Helpless in Her Arms**

**Chapter 28 - No Julian & Brooke Pt I**

* * *

"Auntie Brooke!!!!" the little boy hugged her legs.

"Hey buddy" she answered with as much excitement.

"Are you going to wait for Santa with me?" he whispered in her ear, with his hands around his mouth.

She copied his motions and said in his ears "Santa is very smart. If we wait he doesn't come. He has to surprise us"

"Mom can we make a trap?" he asked innocently

His parents laughed and nodded their hands as he ran to think about a possible trap he could make to get Santa.

"Are you sure he won't be hurt if I am not here tomorrow morning?" Brooke asked Haley for the hundredth time that day. She had once again tried to buy Julian the perfect Christmas gift but like the other seven times she had spend the whole day from mall to mall, she was yet to find the present that would represent everything she felt. Now she would be traveling to Wilmington in less than twenty-four hours and no gift in hand.

"Don't worry Brooke, he is absolutely excited that you are staying for Christmas dinner in the new house" Nathan assured the brunette as they heard the doorbell. "I guess our guesses are here!" he announced as he walked to where Brooke had just entered by.

"Are you sure you are okay with this?" Haley also repeated the question she had been making for the past week.

"Positive, Tutor Mom. I got over what happened between Lucas, Peyton and I a long time ago" Brooke moved her hand to the shoulder of her friend with a sweet smile as she led their way to the kitchen.

"Really? I thought that the pain they caused you was the reason why you can't be with this amazing man that loves you more than life, the man that isn't here today because you thought you couldn't handle him and Lucas at once" Haley sounded apologetically and challenging altogether in a very Hales way to call Brooke in her denial.

"What I mean is I have no problem seeing Lucas. I miss Karen and Lily and it isn't fair that the whole family can't be here for Christmas just because I had a problem with Lucas so many years ago. I am over what happened, no hurt feelings. If I can't open my heart to love again is a total different thing" Brooke explained and only this explanation was already to let her tired. All she wanted was this to be simple, as much as she wanted things to be simple with Julian.

But she knew neither was. She hadn't see Lucas in almost five years. The couple of times she had visited Tree Hill ever since she left she made sure he wasn't around. First he was in LA with Peyton and later he was promoting his book around the country.

She had no idea of how she was going to react and as she could hear his voice coming from the living room she wished she had invited Julian to be there with her tonight. It wasn't like she didn't trust her feeling for the raven haired guy, she knew she loved him and seeing Lucas would never change that but it didn't mean it wouldn't make her insecurities even bigger.

She hadn't lied to Julian; she was incapable of making the same mistake again. She had told him she was going to spend Christmas with her family and that included Lucas. She didn't give many details about what happened between Lucas and her, especially because he told her he had read Lucas' book. The book was about Lucas' view and feelings in the love triangle of hell and just as the writer whoever read it was clueless of how hard it had been for Brooke to break up with him after his betrayal and then again because of his lie and Peyton's feelings.

To anyone else it was only about a couple of teenagers that made a couple of mistakes but for Brooke was the last prove that she wasn't enough. That she hadn't been enough for her parents; hadn't been enough for her boyfriend and hadn't been enough for her best friend. It proved the obvious and hurtful truth that she was a failure to anyone and couldn't be loved. While her growing and lately definitive friendship with Haley and Karen proved her that she could be loved as a friend and a daughter she was yet to be convinced that she could be loved as a woman.

Becoming a celebrity had only made it worse to her. There were so many guys that only approached her because of publicity stunts or her money. She couldn't trust anyone around her and she definitely couldn't trust her heart to any of these people. Until Julian came.

It wasn't only about who Julian was but also how everything happened. How they met absolutely by chance. How he had been there for her when he didn't have a clue of who she was. She knew she was a beautiful woman but how many even more beautiful women wouldn't be throwing themselves at his feet? Julian was a man that didn't need to go after any woman. They were naturally attracted by him. She had been a bitch to him and he had let her drink as much as she needed and had taken care of her in their way home.

He tried to avoid having sex with her until she made it impossible for him to resist and if there was something Brooke was confident about herself was her flirting skills. She knew she was not only attractive but also sexy and seducing.

Everything about Julian was different and everything he did only reassured her that she could trust him. But she was damaged. She was damaged by the man whose laughs she could listen coming from the living room.

She knew she couldn't avoid seeing him for the rest of her life. Actually she couldn't avoid seeing him for the rest of night and Haley had probably already informed him and Karen that she was in the kitchen. She knew Lucas was harmless and she thought that he had been over her for years then and because of this she was sure that he wouldn't try to do anything to hurt her again but still she was afraid of seeing him again. She was afraid of what would resurface. While she was sure love wasn't among the feelings his presence would cause she was afraid of her fears and memories become even stronger and more present in her life. He was a distant and painful memory that broken her heart apparently beyond repair and in that moment he would be a ghost that came to life.

She was still preparing herself to go meet the rest of Naley's family when his voice echoed from behind here. It was then or never and she didn't have anywhere to run so she slowly turned to answer.

"Hi, Luke" she plastered the best smile she could. Her voice cracking.

"Long time no see" he shoved his hands into his pockets as he leaned his side in the doorway.

"I guess we can say that" she cracked her knuckles nervously.

He took the first step to walk towards her and she unconsciously took a tiny small step back. Lucas surely had realized the small movement but he wouldn't stop midway now. He wanted to hold her again and to feel the smell he knew only Brooke had.

When he was only a couple of steps away of her and her back had already reached for the counter behind her, her cell phone came off and she was forever thankful for whoever was calling. It was only then that she paid attention to the music playing and she realized it was Julian. Even when he wasn't close he saved her. And more than ever she just wished she could forget the damage the blond man in front of her had caused.

"I really need to take this. I guess I meet you in the living room in a few?" she said as she took her cell phone hitting the answer button and turning her back to him. She greeted the man she loved and reading his name in the screen of her cell phone was enough to calm her down.

"Hi" she softly said as she heard Lucas' footsteps. Her voice was unsure and it was filled of fear and nervousness and surely Julian had caught it with only a syllable. Brooke never answered her phone like that. The vulnerability was never evident like it was then and it made him uneasy.

"_Is everything okay?"_ he asked straight to the point.

"No" she whispered as the tears started to be shimmer in her eyes.

"_What happened, Brooklyn?"_ his voice was filled of concern because of her quick admission.

He had read the book again ever since he left New York only two days ago. Nathalie as expected appeared in the same day he had had breakfast with Brooke but he wasn't ready to leave the brunette behind him, so he let his sister go and spent five more days in New York. In one of their last conversations, before he traveled to Wilmington she had finally mentioned Lucas Scott. The infamous writer that had broken her heart during high school. It wasn't clear in Lucas' book that he had hurt Brooke that much. Surely he acknowledged that he had broken her heart and that he thought it had been one of the biggest mistakes of his life. He didn't regret being with Peyton in the end but he regretted hurting Brooke in the process.

Brooke had told him how Peyton had been her rock for so many years and how she had loved Lucas. She told him she used to live like Nathalie until the day she met him and fell in love. Julian had been mad and he knew then that the writer had been the reason why she was so damaged so many years later. He was the man that he wanted to hit after their afternoon in the roof of Clothes over Bros even if Brooke didn't associate any of her current pain to the one she felt back then. She told him she just wanted him to know that she was going to meet Lucas and she wanted him to know someway who Lucas Scott was in her life.

"He is here" her tone had lowered more if that was even possible.

Julian didn't know how to answer to the vulnerability in her voice. While Brooke was absolutely confident that seeing Lucas wouldn't change her feelings towards Julian, the producer wasn't this certain. Actually he had realized that she kept most of the story from him because he could clearly see how painful it was for her to talk about her past and that man. She had never sounded so frail like she did saying those words over the phone and he could catch how deeply this Lucas guy affected Brooke. His Brooklyn.

"_Did he say or do something?"_ was the best he could come with and there was as much insecurity in his voice and it broke her inside.

"No, you called me just as he was walking towards me" she breathed out.

"_Didn't you exchange any word with him?"_ he asked incredulous that only the sight of this man affected her that deeply.

"A couple of greetings" she admitted feeling so bad about what she doing to him. She didn't need to see him or to listen to his defeated voice to know that she was hurting him. Of course it would hurt him to know that the woman he loved so much and that had assured that she loved him just as much was barely breathing because she exchanged a few words with the man that broken her heart more than five years ago.

"_What happened between you too, Brooke?"_ he queried for the first time ever since she mentioned the heartbreak she had in high school.

"Nothing" she misunderstood his question. He didn't mean by then because he didn't have the courage to ask about the present time.

"_Of course something happened otherwise you wouldn't be still hurt after so many years. if I remember correctly you told me you haven't seen this guy ever since your graduation so I guess something happened back then"_ his voice was calm but also resigned.

"Oh, back then… it is the same old silly story. Girl falls in love with boy, he cheats on her with her best friend and they break up. Girl doesn't forget the boy and when he says he made a mistake, he asks for a new chance and she decides to try again. But surely she breaks up with him again because he still loves her best friend and while he has his happily ever after love, the girl has her heart shattered into a million of pieces and it seems like literally millions of pieces as after more than five years she is yet to put all pieces together" she sarcastically explained and a couple of tears rolled down her face though she hoped her voice hadn't changed that much for him to show that she was crying.

"_It is not the same old silly story if after five years you still suffer because of this. Nobody carries on their teenager disappointments for the rest of their lives unless they are more than simply their teenage heartbreaks"_ he tried to sound more positive and less hurt but it wasn't really possible. How could he compete with a love that clearly hadn't change after so much pain and years? He didn't doubt she loved him but in that moment it was becoming clear to him why it was so hard for her to give them a chance. No matter how much she loved him he knew it couldn't be compared to the guy that had been the owner of her heart for so long.

"It is just I've be fighting against these memories and pain for as long as I remember and it hadn't been easy. It seems like it is impossible for me to let it go and now it is not memories anymore. It is a living reminder playing with my godson in the next room. Our godson…" she opened up to him in a way she was yet to open up to someone, even Haley.

Her words had been like a knife being stabbed in his chest. It had just confirmed to him that she indeed couldn't let her teenage love go because it had been much more than just a teenage love. He couldn't find anything to say to her. There wasn't anything to be said, so he silently also let his tears fall. He had no idea that Lucas meant that much to Brooke and he realized that he had been naive about it. Of course the boy of her teen years had to mean this much to her otherwise she would have let it go just like everybody else did. Maybe they were a sort of Isabella-Dylan, except with a lot of drama and pain. He knew his sister and her husband had been meant to be together. They had loved each other ever since they were old enough to understand what loving a girl or a boy meant. There wasn't much drama in their story but it was clear to anyone around them that nothing would avoid what was their fate and Julian thought Brooke had the same. Only with someone else. Only with the boy that she had never got over.

"Julian?" she called after some minutes of silence

"_Yeah"_ the snuffled voice showed her that he was crying.

"I need you Baby. I need you more than ever and now there is nothing I wanted more than for you to be here. I wish I had asked you to be here with me because I don't know if I can do it without you. I don't know if I will be able to be in one piece if you are not by my side to pull myself together" she pleaded and it was as if her soul was actually saying those words. It was the deepest and most absolutely truth in that moment.

"_You will be okay, Honey. You will be okay. Don't let him hurt you again. Whatever you do just make sure he won't hurt you again, okay?"_ he breathed out but his voice was still snuffled and he just couldn't pretend he wasn't crying for losing the woman he loved so much.

"What are you talking about?" she asked confused. She had no idea of what Julian was saying and to be honest it really didn't help her in that moment.

It was a good thing that he had decided to call her from his bedroom instead of the living room as he initially thought. He had told the kids that she was going to come tomorrow morning but that her gifts were already under the tree. Julia got crazy to talk to Brooke over the phone and so did Austin. Julian was already planning to call to his almost girlfriend but had preferred to have a few moments with her in private before passing the phone to kids. He had let them know that he would talk to Brooke and then he would call them to talk to her. Such decision had saved the kids from seeing him devastated again and he was thankful for that. He could cry in the loneliness of his dark room without letting his family uneasy again.

Julian collected all the strength he had in his life and finally showed clearly what thoughts were crossing his mind in that moment _"If you think that you want to try again, if he is really the man who you are meant to be with, just make sure he won't hurt you again. You deserve better than to be hurt, Brooke Davis. You deserve to be the happiest girl in the world. Don't settle for any less"_ and while the first part was painful and hard for him to say the last part was just natural. Brooke deserved to be happy. There was nothing that would make him happier than her happiness. And nothing that would make him more miserable than losing her but it wasn't his decision to make.

Brooke had been shocked to listen to the words he was saying. Was he giving up? Was he thinking that the battle she had was about love? Did he think she still loved Lucas? But before she got hurt by his lack of trust she had realized that she had never been really clear to him about the mess that her love life was.

"Julls. Listen to me, Baby. I need you because I love you. I need you because you are my strength. When you are standing by my side I feel like I am strong. I feel like nothing can break me again. I need you because you are my reassurance, you are my hope, you are my faith and you are my love. I need you so I can let it go. Let the pain go, let the fears go, I need you to make me forget, to give me a new heart. A brand new heart that will beat for nothing more but you. This one I have is broken into these pieces that I can't put together but I know you can give me a new one. I need you to have enough strength to face my painful past. To show me that my future will be nothing like my past. I need you because you are the man for me, Julian" the few tears that had silently rolled her eyes before had now turned into rivers that made her voice more snuffled than his but that also showed him that her words were absolutely true and that he indeed was the man she wanted by her side.

"_What?"_ he incredulously uttered.

"You are the man for me, Julian and I don't want to keep denying me to you" she explained and this line alone was able to put a smile in her crying face.

"_I am going to take a plane. Wait for me, don't go anywhere, tell Haley that you are not feeling well and that you will sleep a couple of hours to see if you feel better. I promise I will be there before the dinner"_ he immediately offered as he realized he had won. He had won the heart of Brooke Davis and if he beat the guy that she couldn't let go for so many years it really had to mean that he was the guy for her.

"No Baby, you don't need to come. I won't deny Uncle Ully to his kids on Christmas. I will be there with you tomorrow morning I just need to listen to your voice. I just need you to reassure me as you always do. I had always been so independent but with you I am not and I don't want to be. Just be here for me, Baby. Your voice is enough for now. I just need my Juker" she sighed confessing her most deep need. Also she wouldn't deprive the children of their beloved uncle. She could have Julian whenever she wanted and they only had him on holidays and smalls breaks in his tight schedule.

"_I love you Brooke. I love you for trusting me your heart and for letting yourself need me when you don't need anyone. I am honored to be this man and I assure you Honey that I won't hurt you and I won't let anyone hurt you like that. You know sometimes I am a bit stupid and inexperienced and I do stupid things that I am sure will hurt you a bit but I won't ever break your heart. I can only thank you for letting me be your knight shining armor and I wish I was there to hold you against my chest and feel you snuggling in my chest until you find your spot. I wish I could be there holding your hand during the dinner and then after it, taking you home and sleeping at the sound of your endearing and sweet snoring. And I know I am not and maybe it doesn't help that much but my heart is and all while I am here you'll be in my mind and I will think about all those things and maybe if you think the same we could actually feel each other"_ he enthusiastically told her. He felt the excitement and ecstasy consuming his being because of her confession. She had confessed her love a couple of times before but this one was special. This one swept _his_ insecurities away. The insecurities caused by a certain blond guy that wasn't that far of the brunette that both of them loved.

"See? You always know the right words to say to make everything be alright. You just make me believe in everything that I dreamed of a long time ago. You got through me Baby and that's all I need. It doesn't matter how far we are and if we talk it over the phone. You get a way with me and that's one of the reasons why I will be teenager Brooke again. For a long time I could only remember of the slut that was fooled by the idea of love only to have her heart broken but I keep forgetting of beautiful, brilliant and brave Brooke and I want to be her again. I want this to be the Brooke you have by your side. And I just wish I was looking into your beautiful chocolate eyes now instead of holding my phone"

"_It doesn't really matter Honey. I can repeat all these words looking into your even more beautiful hazel eyes tomorrow and for the rest of my life if you want me to"_ the goofy smile in his face had long ago replaced the tears.

"Thanks, Julls, for everything" she breathed out and a smile also cracked in her face.

"I only do this because you are special Brooke, the special Auntie that has a row of lovely kids outside of my door waiting to talk to her" he said as he opened his door to see the kids but Jayden anxiously waiting to talk to Auntie Brooke. He had heard Julia sneezing and he knew they were there probably thinking that he had forgotten to give them the phone. Given the intensity of their conversation if the children had indeed had this thought they were absolutely right.

"I love you, Baby" she confessed before he handled the phone to kids to each he answered with the very same words.

Brooke had spent almost half an hour talking to the kids as they wanted to describe to her everything about the days she missed and how they knew Santa would give his gifts but that hers would be cooler. Brooke was again teary. Isabella and Dylan had made a great job with the kids that were so lovely and caring. She hang up and as she raised her chin to finally face all the demons of her past the main one was standing just in front of her and he didn't look very happy.

* * *

_AN: I am happy I ended up updating this fic twice this week :D You guys definitely deserve two updates by week._

_I want to thank to Syrine, Artemi, Sab, Kayla, sb1218, Love me some Julian, kaos2405, FriendlyGirl333 and SouthernBellBrooke. I've got less reviews that I've been getting in this fic but I hope my missing reviewers stop by this chapter._

_Next: No Julian and no Brooke volume ends :P_

_Have a nice week_

_Babi  
_


	30. No Julian & No Brooke: No Brulian Pt II

**Lying Helpless in Her Arms**

**Chapter 29 - No Julian & Brooke Pt II**

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* * *

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"Hey Luke" she told the man in front of her and he could see how she changed over the past hour. The first time he had seen her she had barely been able to utter him a greeting and now she was confidently saying his name.

"I am sorry" he started and she looked at him puzzled.

"I thought that at first that the phone call had been only the perfect excuse for you to make that awkward moment between us to stop and I couldn't not listen to part of your conversation as I came back to check on you a couple of minutes later" he clarified and she looked even more confused.

"Which part?"

"I guess the one that you said that what we had was the old silly teenager love story" he moved his hands to his pockets again and tilted his head a bit, looking at her eyes and then dropping his gaze to the floor.

"It is not what I meant…" she started because she didn't want to hurt Lucas and she could sense in the voice of the boy that she used to know that he was at least a bit hurt by the meaningless words she used to describe what they had.

"Actually Brooke that was not the part that hurt. Though to summary a love like that to silly was a bit painful it can't compare to the part that you've spent the last five years trying to put yourself together because of me and that those memories still hurt but not as much as the living reminder of what happened back them" his piercing blue eyes were then lifeless and puff.

"Luke, I am sorry you heard that" she apologized. That was not what she had prepared herself for during the conversation with Julian. During her conversation with her boyfriend she had been encouraged by his words to finally face the man that she had loved for so many years.

"Brooke I see now that instead of choosing what was real I chose what I have idealized ever since I was a boy but that was never who I loved and I am sorry that I threw you in the middle of my unrealistic and platonic story with Peyton but I guess I couldn't avoid it entirely because I am yet to fall out of love with you" he offered. He didn't want her to feel any worse about what they had in the past. He had never for once imagined that he had caused such damage in the life of the woman he loved. It wasn't easy to accept his mistakes and they led him to lose a woman like Brooke but knowing what he had hurt her so deeply wasn't any easier to face.

"Do you love me?" she asked shocked.

"It doesn't matter now, does it? Let's just say that the part that you confess your endless love to another guy was even harder. But I guess what they say is true. What goes around, comes around and if is comforting I am paying now for all the pain I caused you" he explained and for some minutes she had stayed in silence thinking about what he had just told her.

"No, it doesn't really matter, Lucas, but not because of your feelings. I'd really wish you didn't have because I am not here to punish you and I am sorry that it now hurts you. I am here for redemption. Redemption to all the pain that I've been carrying all these years. And you just gave it me. I couldn't compete with your muse not because I wasn't good enough but because you couldn't separate a platonic love of a real one. But now I am free. Now I can see that what happened was just because we were young and immature. You and Peyton made mistakes but so did I and unlike you I hadn't let those mistakes behind me until now. I am free, Luke and I hope you can free yourself of this mess too" she walked by him and offered him a small smile that didn't reflect at all the happiness she felt inside of her in that moment but she really didn't want to punish him and throw her happiness in his face. What Julian had told her had be the ignition for her to finally let it go but then seeing Lucas standing in front of her absolutely hurt by how much he had hurt her and confessing his bad choice showed her that the problem was never her. That she was more than enough to make a man love her as said man had the love of someone like Peyton and still he loved her after more than five years without any contact. It was reassuring because she knew by Haley how much Peyton had been hurt and tried to reconcile with Lucas but still he chose Brooke and that was the ice of the cake to her freedom.

"Be happy Broody" she whispered just as she had crossed by him. She didn't turn to look to his face but observed him by the corner of her eyes until he answered her "You too Pretty Girl" and with that she had abandoned him in the kitchen and headed to the living room to meet Karen, Lily and the others.

* * *

"So am I getting any presents today?" he asked her as he wrapped his arms around her waist from the behind. He hadn't resisted doing it. The moment he had seen her, looking as beautiful as always, he had to just do it. Their conversation in the night before had given him the last push he needed to be sure that he could do some moves without pressuring her to make a decision quicker.

"Hi to you too" she had turned around in his arms and their faces were now just some inches away. Their bottom bodies were just merged into one as both had their hands in each other's waists.

"How was your flight? Last night?" he asked leaning to kiss in the cheek what had just let her wanting for more of the man she was ready to be with. She had actually called him as she headed to her house. He was relieved to know that nothing happened and she even sounded happy over the phone but still she hadn't given him any details of what really happened.

"Long enough. I missed you" she offered her dimpled smile as she moved her hands to the back of this neck "Remember that around people everything is easy?" she flirtingly added.

"Yeah… I guess the almost empty airport counts, right? Because I didn't bring anyone with me. The kids for sure are still sleeping and so is Nat. Isabella is probably taking care of your breakfast" he slipped his own hands from her waist to her hips.

"Merry Christmas, Baby" she offered and pulled him down to a quick kiss.

"Merry Christmas, Hun" he grinned to her as they broke apart from the kiss but still with their bodies connected.

"How bad is that I still couldn't find something to give you" she apologetically asked.

"You don't need to buy anything to me, Brooke. I have your gift with me right now. You don't need to give anything back, Dimples" he tried to convince her but he knew it would be impossible to do it.

"Are you kidding me? I don't have a boyfriend for longer than I can remember and I won't give him a Christmas gift? The best part of relationships are the presents!" she cheerfully protested and he wanted nothing more than just squeeze her until she gasped for air. She was too cute for him to do not want to do it.

"Well remembering that said couple is in a break, I guess said girlfriend can be released of her task this time, especially because said boyfriend birthday is not that far and there is also Valentine's Day" he kissed her cheek, breaking the contact of their bodies. He moved to get her not small baggage, holding her hand and leading their way out of the airport.

"Oh my God, I can't believe I never asked when your birthday is!!!" she stopped in her tracks leading him to do the same.

"Well in my perfect research I did find out a certain beautiful lady birthday is on March 4th" he grinned to his girlfriend.

"That is not fair! The book has my birthday; the bio in Clothes over Bros website has it. I am pretty sure Wikipedia has it too!" she pouted and he thought she was the most adorable person ever. He loved that woman more than he could describe and he couldn't just ignore the feeling of melting inside at the sight of such beauty and adorableness.

"I love you, Brooklyn" he out of blue told her and her features that while weren't stern, sad or angry, still softened reflecting how her heart felt at his words.

"I love you too, Julls" her voice was sweet and filled of the feeling of her confession.

"I feel like there is nothing more to say in person. It is like everything was said over the phone but I guess saying I love you is always the most meaningful thing I could say because all the rest I told is a consequence of this love" he related to their conversation in the night before.

"There is nothing I like to listen more than this or that it is more important" she admitted. She wanted to talk about yesterday again. Not only about their conversation but especially about her conversation with Lucas but it wasn't the time.

"I am happy you are here with me, with us" he offered and letting go of the luggage his hands had found their way back to her body.

"I don't want to keep being this lame-puking inducing person but you keep saying these things and I feel like I can't answer any other way" she pouted playfully slapping him softly in the chest "I am happy to be here because I don't want to be anywhere else" she concluded and this time he was the one to pull for a kiss.

Their kiss was slow and long. They had missed each other's touch. They felt light after the events of the past night for total different reasons. Though Brooke had never moved on from Lucas for real because she was afraid to be hurt in her relationship with Julian he was the one afraid of being left behind. For a moment he thought that her teenage heartbreak and love would never let be his and maybe she would even be back to the man that seemed to have changed her life more than anyone could imagine. Brooke in the other hand for the first time wasn't afraid of being hurt. She knew Julian wouldn't hurt her like Lucas did but she feared that she would be the heartbreaker in their newly discovered relationship. But now in the arms of him after everything they had said and also her conversation with Lucas she finally found the place where she belonged. It was ironic to think that when they met she was the insecure one while he was the confident and as they moved closer to a relationship their roles inverted only to now be settled down. They didn't need to say any words to know that they were back together and back for good though a conversation would come eventually.

"Let's go now, Baby, I am really hungry and if Isabella is taking care of the food I want to make sure to be there while it is still warm" she told him as they broke apart. It was nice to be part of a family, especially one that considered her so highly.

* * *

Not much longer after they arrived at the house the kids woke up. Probably anxious because of Christmas morning they woke up more than one hour earlier than usual and to meet Brooke there was the icing on the cake.

"I really hope you guys don't mind another batch of Clothes over Bros pieces but I really didn't have time or inspiration to think of something else. Julian's gift has been consuming me" Brooke apologetically offered as she handed the packages to Isabella and Nathalie.

"Are you crazy? Isn't it every day that I get hot designer clothes" Nathalie winked embracing the package as much as the kids did before her.

"It is great indeed, Brooke and I hope you like ours too" Isabella offered with a sweet smile. Actually the whole family had prepared a special gift to give to Brooke and Julian and they were very curious to find out about what it was. Actually Brooke was curious, Julian was more anxious to have it because then Brooke would stop making questions about what he thought it was. She was just like the kids when it came to gifts.

"I am sure I will" she smiled trying to cover her curiosity but everybody knew she was crazy to know what it was.

"And what's the matter with Julls' gift? I am pretty sure he will love everything you give him" Nathalie offered as she checked her new clothes.

"I wanted it to be special and I am dying to know what he got me"

"No luck here, Sis, he didn't say a word to us about your gift" Nathalie replied and immediately turned to Isabella to show how amazing was the new slutty dress Brooke got her.

"She is right, Brooke, he will love anything from you" Isabella completed also checking her new outfits.

"It doesn't really help that he says that I am going to love him more because of the gift" she sighed a little frustrated. She really wanted something special but she was so curious to see what he got her that she was thinking about getting the first thing in the first store she'd step just to have hers.

"Oh don't count on something great. He is just too cocky. If he gets you a popsicle he will still think that you will love him more because of this" Nathalie rolled her eyes looking at her brother that was playing with the kids along with their father. They really loved the presents Brooke got for them and hadn't wasted one second before starting playing with their brand new toys.

Brooke and Isabella laughed at her words, especially because she was probably right. Regardless of how great or not the present was, Julian would still think it was the best ever. He was just this arrogant and Brooke loved this confidence about her that was again resurfacing in his personality.

"I would go with the popsicle" Nathalie shrugged off smirking.

"I am sure he will love it" Isabella followed suit.

"I guess I'll have to settle for this" Brooke looked at Julian surrounded by his nephews "But I wanted it to be special"

"It is still Christmas until we take down the decoration" Isabella suggested.

"Absolutely. You can even kiss under the mistletoe until the Twelfth Night" Nat winked

"I definitely can't wait twelve more days" Brooke showed her anxiety to know the gift he had got to her.

"Well so the Popsicle it is, do you have any here, Lizzy? Maybe Brooke can even save the supermarket trip"

"Seriously, Nat, she is not going to give him a popsicle. Why don't we give them our gift and then maybe Brooke can wait a few more days" Isabella suggested and Brooke's features immediately changed. At least she was finding out one of the mysterious gifts.

"I'd still prefer the popsicle. I would love to see Julls face" the younger sibling chuckled as she walked up to the tree getting the two remaining packages.

"Hey guys, how about now we give Uncle Jully and Auntie Brooke their present?" Isabella announced and the kids got as excited as when their mother announced they would open their presents.

"Who will give Auntie Brooke's?" Isabella asked and the kids already knew the drill. Two of them would hand a present to each special visitor.

"I, I!!!!!!" Logan excitedly made his little dance.

"Me too!" Austin completed.

"Okay, Lo-Dy and Mini-J to Auntie Brooke and Julia and Jayden to Ully" their mother explained handing the packages to the respective children.

"Merry Christmas Auntie Brooke" Austin told her and Logan followed suit the best he could "Merry Ismas"

"Thank you, boys" she accepted the plain white, rectangular wrapped box.

"Merry Christmas Sis" Nat also entered in the line to greet her brother's girlfriend being followed by Isabella and Dylan that then explained to Julian and Jayden they could wish Brooke the same even if they were handing the gift only to their uncle.

"Do you want me to wait you to open it?" Brooke asked Julian seeing that he was probably getting something similar, as his package was exactly like hers.

"Go ahead, Beautiful, everyone can see that you are more excited than the kids" he kissed her quickly and she grinned back to him turning her attention back to the package in her hands.

She carefully unwrapped and saw it was a frame by the box under the present paper. As she pulled it out of the box her heart melted.

"Did you think all the pics of the albums were posed? I had a minor degree on Photography and I just love to do it without people seeing it" Nat told her shyly just like she always did when she mentioned her ability.

It was one picture of Julian and her while they were playing with the kids in one of the days after Thanksgiving. They were in the back yard and Brooke was sat in the grass with Austin, Julia and Jayden, while Julian was a few feet away of them taking Logan by the hands, as if the boy couldn't walk by himself, going up to where the others were. But it wasn't only the picture. As Isabella explained how the whole family worked in the scrapbook frame Brooke's eyes were locked in the picture. There were flowers, hearts and at the top of the frame they wrote _'We heart our family'_ with a heart sticker instead of the word.

Brooke's eyes shimmered of tears and when she looked up at Julian he had the same expression. Though everyone could remember that Julian and Brooke's expressions were tense back in that moment; the picture showed only a happy couple happily playing with the kids. Nat took the picture in the exact moment Julian and Brooke had looked at each other. She didn't even had to be fast as usually when their eyes locked because it took some seconds, if not minutes for them to look away.

"I loved it guys, thank you so much" she offered hugging the sisters again, then Dylan and the kids.

"And this is for you, Uncle Jully" Julia offered the package along with Jayden. They also wished him a merry Christmas and Brooke couldn't wait to see the moment they had chosen to give him.

Much to her surprise it wasn't a picture of the two of them, it was only her, surrounded by the kids, holding a sleeping Jayden in her arms. Nat also seemed to have waited a moment that Brooke changed her gaze as in the picture she held a tender look to the kids that were playing by her feet and a gentle hand caressing Jayden's hair. There were also a lot of scrapbook pieces around the big frame and like Brooke's it also had a text, this simply saying _'I heart you'_.

"It is beautiful, Nat. absolutely beautiful" Julian looked up at his sister but he was still mesmerized to the beauty of the moment she had registered. He had always knew about her passion to photography and the house and his office had so many frames just like the one he got now, scrapbook included, but he thought that she had never registered a moment so filled of life and so real like that one. He knew by her clothes and Brooke's light expression that the picture had been taken before he met her in the Thanksgiving morning. It was before all the pain started and her natural care to kids and apparent happiness had showed him what he had messed up back in that day and that even one month later he was yet to fix it completely.

"**You** are beautiful" he whispered at the ear of his girlfriend as he leaned to hug her "I love you" he completed still touched by the picture. "I love you too, Baby" she answered while they held each other some seconds "But I guess you should be hugging who gave you the present" she completed smiling and he pecked her lips quickly before turning to do as she said.

"Auntie Brooke you forgot to tell me the story!" Julia remembered of the promise Brooke made during her first visit.

"Oh, that's true, Priss! I am so sorry! Auntie Brooke's head is in the moon" Brooke explained.

"What story?" Austin asked curious.

"The Juke story" Julia clapped her hands together.

"What's Juke?" he boy asked confused.

"Julian and Brooke, silly. Let's go Auntie Brooke I want to listen" she took the adult brunette by the hand and led her to the other side of the living room.

"I so want to listen to this" Nat excitedly followed Brooke and the kids.

"Help me here, Mister" Brooke yelled to Julian that was still thanking Isabella and Dylan for the wonderful Christmas gift.

"She is absolutely motherly, Julls. A natural, just like you" Isabella offered as she looked at the picture in his hands.

"In no time you will be surrounded by mini-Nats" Dylan complemented and Julian looked at him puzzled. "Yes, buddy, do you really think you won't pay for the years I had to stand you saying that you were so great that **my** kids looked just like **you** and that I should better get over it? Seeing how sappy you become because of all the mockery about Liz and me I can already see the blond, blue-eyed little pests running in your beach house" he teased his brother-in-law whose mind was then too much into the scenario Dylan had just described to mind it. Except the blond hair, surely. There was nothing he wanted more than to have his house in LA surrounded by his and Brooke's offspring he thought as he looked once again to her indeed motherly gaze.

"Let's go, I so want to listen to the Juke thing" Dylan offered and the three adults followed where the others had gone a couple of minutes ago.

The kids were sat in the rug while Nathalie sat in the couch across the armchair where Brooke was. Isabella and Dylan joined her while Julian walked towards his girlfriend. The armchair was big but not enough for them to sit side by side so after some struggle, she finally gave up and sat in his lap.

"Keep it PG, for the kids' sake" Nathalie shouted as Brooke kissed Julian. She looked up to the others blushing a bit and muttering sorry but Nat still had more "The story I meant" she winked and now Brooke blushed really bad.

"You told them everything?" Brooke turned to Julian who just shrugged off and her face was just priceless as she looked to the three people in the couch that were laughing.

"The story!!!!" Julia demanded and Brooke offered a small smile to the girl that seemed to be oblivious to her Aunt's comments.

"Let me start because I guess I could say that you literally crashed in my life" Julian kissed her cheek and she was still embarrassed because Julian probably shared details given the looks the adults held.

"Uncle Jully was driving home after a very hard day at the office. He had worked too much but he had a feeling that something good was going to save the day though he could have never really imagined how great it was going to be. So he was driving when he felt his car was pushed by something. He looked at the rear mirror and saw that someone had hit in his car. He was about to change his mind about the change of events of his day when he listened to the first cursin… to the first funny word" he corrected himself looking up at the woman in his lap and she was now more comfortable as anyone was really glued to the story.

"The first thing I noticed was how beautiful… and funny she was" he tried to stifle a laugh but failed completely. He would always be amused by freaking-out-Brooke.

"I wasn't funny. It wasn't funny at all. I had a horrible week and all I didn't need was to crash my car before my so much waited prolonged weekend" she disagreed but he ignored her completely.

"Honey, your words and gestures were absolutely funny but also enchanting if you ask me" he quickly pecked her lips and heard the 'urgh' 'PG' and 'back to the story' protests.

"Anyway she was beautiful. She was really upset because of the accident and I decided to go help her"

"Yes, as if checking me out and offering me booze could ever be categorized as help" she sarcastically commented.

"Checking her out?" Julia asked confused

"Check to see if she was okay, Princess, and Dimples you are the one that mentioned vodka"

"So you saved her, Uncle Jully?" Austin asked ignoring their little banter.

"Yes" "Not yet" they answered together and seeing their contradictory answer everybody laughed.

"He saved me, Mini-J but not at that moment, he saved me at the end of the night" she looked to her boyfriend tenderly remembering of how he took care of her back in that day when he knew nothing about her.

"So she was really sad because of her car and she wanted to have a little bit of fun, so she headed to the bar…" Julian continued but Brooke cut him off "That your uncle showed me and told me to go"

"Anyway, Auntie Brooke got herself a bottle of… soda and decided to play a little bit of pool"

"Do you play pool Auntie Brooke? Cool!!!!!" Austin told her.

"Now that would be a stretch" he whispered and she laughed lightly.

"Yes, Austin, I do. We'll play some time, okay buddy?"

"Don't interrupt Aust, I want to listen the story" Julia told her younger brother.

"So Auntie Brooke met a few very nice friends…" she started and this time Julian interrupted "Really, really nice" he told and made an okay sign with his fingers.

"I was playing really well and I was about to win the game but then I guess I lost my mojo" Brooke pondered remembered of the moment when Julian came to rescue her.

"And that's when Uncle Jully appeared again" she resumed the story looking to him with a smile. "And when he rescued me" she completed softly.

"Of what?" Julia asked confused.

"Auntie Brooke had lost the round and she had to climb onto the pool table to…" he thought about what he would say.

"Make a fool of herself" Brooke complemented "I lost and they wanted me to do some very stupid things but Uncle Julian didn't let them do it"

"Very good, Uncle Jully. Nobody makes Auntie Brooke be silly" Austin stood up to high five his uncle's hand.

"Ohh, how cute" Nat offered from the couch. "Isn't it?" Brooke agreed squeezed the little boy's cheeks maybe a bit too much as he soon complained "Ouch, Auntie Brooke" he told her but soon smiled when she answered her usual 'Oops'.

"Then Uncle Jully got me a cab but he didn't let me take the cab alone. He wanted to make sure that Auntie Brooke would be in her house safe and sound" she continued.

"So I took her home and took care of her the whole night" he mischievous told them and the adults held back their laughs.

"Did you kiss her?" Julia asked following her Uncle features.

"Of course, I did Princess. Isn't that what the Knight Shining Armor does anyway?" he winked and the boys, except Jayden, moaned their disgust again but his niece just smiled happily.

"Then in the following week Auntie Brooke was really sad and angry. Her mother was being very mean to her and she had some problems in the company and she was really sad because of everything and Uncle Jully went to see her in her company" Brooke skipped the breakfast and surely the night of massive hot sex.

"Uncle Jully wanted to talk to her, to help her but she was hurt and she didn't want to talk to anyone. She told him to leave and he was very sad too so he left but he had a plan that she didn't know" she smiled to him again. Truth to be told she had loved how he had took her in his arms like that. She was again rescuing her.

"He knew she wouldn't let him help her because she is very, very, very stubborn" he completed.

"Am not" she protested but he ignored and continued "So he went to the parking lot and waited until she had to leave. When she stepped out of the elevator Uncle Julian took her in his shoulders and kidnapped her to the roof. But let me say you that Auntie Brooke is a really feisty cat"

"What is feisty?" Austin asked

"It is just like when you tried to make Toddy take a shower" he mentioned the kids' puppy dog.

The kids and especially the adults laughed at Julian's explanation especially because Toddy had made a scene when Julia and Austin tried to shower him.

"I wasn't that bad" Brooke pouted remembering the event that happened during her last stay. Julian pecked her in the lips again "Of course not, Honey. Toddy was way easier than you" and everybody laughed out loud.

"I was not" she protested but he didn't let her to get away "Yes you were"

"No I wasn't" she insisted

"Of course you were"

"No, no, no"

"Don't be stubborn, _again_"

While they bantered Isabella mimed to the kids to be quiet. She took Logan in her arms and Nathalie took Jayden and one by one they all left the light hearted arguing couple that hadn't really realized their moves.

"I remember it clearly, Mr. Cocky" she told him and immediately moved her hand to her mouth looking down to the kids that weren't there anyone.

"Where is everyone?"

"I have no idea, all I know now is how much I love you" he pulled her down to a passionate kiss.

"I love you too" she offered in his lips, breaking briefly the kiss to utter the words

"And you totally were" he chuckled and she hit him in the chest but he moved his hands to under her legs and holding her he stood up, kissing her in the process and leading upstairs. All those memories surely ignited some feelings.

* * *

The End

_

* * *

AN: Hey guys!!!!!! Sorry for the lack of double updates this week but I am too tired. I've got a new job and it is a bit hard in the beginning, so this combined to my lack of ideas to know where I am taking this story after the next two updates contributed to this single update. Actually next week might be the same, it is my birthday and my mother came to visit me and I will probably be very busy._

_About this chapter. Well I wanted to give Brucas a closure because I felt they never really got a proper one. I wasn't going to split their convo into two chapters but then last chapter would be too long and this one too short so I balanced it._

_As you can see for the rest of the chapter, this one is supposed to be a light and happy chapter as it ends the second volume of this story: NO JULIAN AND NO BROOKE. The next chapter marks the beginning of the next - and apparently pretty small - last volume that will be named Juker and Dimples. Small because really I have no idea of where I will take this story after the next two chapters. When I first outlined it I had done it until this moment and had planned a Las Vegas wedding and its developments but I changed my mind but I guess a Vegas wedding just doesn't fit this story anymore and I think it is too early for them to get married any other way._

_So I have the New Year's chapter and their gifts exchanged for the next couple of chapters and then I have no idea of what to do :S. I thought about having some chapters about their routine as a couple in New York or maybe move forward to when she is shooting and organizing both Fashion Shows but it seems irrelevant and fillers ideas to me. I also thought about skipping several months to the premiere of the movie but this had always been my epilogue and it will always been, so I guess if I really stick with this it means we are three updates away of the end of this story._

_While I am relieved to know that I am completing another story - it is a relief to know that I got this far and may end it - I feel like I am not ready to let it go, not yet, but as I don't have any other ideas I prefer to finish instead of being lost in pointless updates that may lead to hiatuses and this story to be unfinished but I really have no idea where to go from here to keep it interesting._

_Surely I am open to your suggestions, though you might have to read these two updates so really suggest something that fits but for now you know that there won't be a wedding, at least not in these updates - not even a proposal; she will have some healthy problems, consequential of her sterility issues - but nothing serious enough to be solved in more than a couple of updates and they will have some important conversations but this is it. So any idea you may have, just let me know and I will try to see if I can write it :)_

_For now thank you so much for the reviews. You guys are great: OTHGIRL82; Anna; HaileyBOTH; Kayla; Heath882; CheeryGirl; MaryOTH; FriendlyGirl333; kaos2405; xxAshley; Sab, Artemi, Syrine; vampiregurl and sb1218. I really hope you guys enjoy this update and forgive me about the delay._

_Talk to you soon;_

_Babi_


	31. Juker & Dimples: Julian & Brooke's Pt I

**Lying Helpless in Her Arms**

**Volume II – Juker and Dimples  
**

**Chapter 30 - Julian and Brooke's Pt I

* * *

**

"I am happy we are finally in New York again" he whispered in her ear as he pushed the luggage cart from behind her. They had been attached at the hip for the past week but still it was not enough to let things reach the point they had been waiting for almost one month.

The kids were always around and neither Julian nor Brooke had the heart to say no to them. It is also true that they had the nights to do it again but if she wasn't really tired he was and a couple of nights they had one of the kids sleeping with them. They didn't complain though. It was great to have the children around. When Julian used to travel alone to Wilmington normally one or even two of his nephews slept with him and while none did it the first time he and Brooke had been there together, they didn't waste the second chance around.

Isabella tried to give the couple some privacy but Brooke and Julian really didn't care. They had the rest of their lives to make love again and the kids they would only see from time to time. But now they were finally alone again and they couldn't wait until they made it to her house.

"I know exactly what you mean" her raspy voice and as she slowed her pace her butt touched his already growing bulge.

"You don't need to give me any gift. Alone time with my girlfriend is actually the best gift I could ever get" he stopped pushing the cart and she turned around between his arms to look at his beautiful grin. "I guess it is but I want to give you a plus" she agreed as he leaned down to kiss her.

Kissing in a very crowded airport two days before New Years' was everything they needed to make their relationship public. Surely as soon as they walked out the gate they could hear the clicks of the cameras and as soon as they broke the kiss a guy from TMZ approached them.

"It is exactly what you are thinking, dear, I guess you don't need any statement do you?" she answered the guy offering her dimpled smile to the camera and turning to peck her boyfriend one more time as they resumed their walk out of the airport.

"You are one of a kind, Dimples" he smiled and Brooke just shrugged.

"Anyway back to your present, I am yet to find you the perfect present and I want you to wait until January 6th. I guess it is still Christmas if everything is decorated, isn't?"

"Anything you want Dimples, I can't wait to see your eyes as you see it but I guess I could give you a few more days. But seriously being with you is all I need from you" he explained as they finally made it outside the crowded airport.

"I believe you, Baby, but you got me something and I definitely need to reciprocate it"

"Whatever you want, Brooklyn" he kissed the top of her head and tried to get them a cab.

* * *

"Hey you" he told as she hung up the telephone with Haley.

"Hi, Baby" she immediately found herself in his arms.

"When are they arriving?" Julian asked after he pecked her lips.

"An hour or so, I guess" she folded her arms around his strong body.

"I think we should enjoy our last minutes alone so" he offered a naughty grin.

"You are insatiable, aren't you? We've done it more times that I could count ever since yesterday" she chuckled but didn't stop his advances in her clothes.

"Can you blame me? You are irresistible" he said and kissed her passionately bringing her body against his.

"And you are just too good" she wrapped her legs around his waist and they headed out to her bedroom.

* * *

"Oh my God, couldn't you wait until the New Year?" Haley hugged her friend as she entered the penthouse.

"What are you talking about?" Brooke tried to smooth her dress – which she had just got in – but her wet hair and swollen lips showed that she and Julian had already had their farewell party to the year that would end in some hours.

"You know, Tigger" she chuckled.

"Hey, buddy" Brooke purposefully turned her attention to her godson. "Oh my God I have been out only for a week and you look so big!" she told the five years old.

"I'm big, Auntie Brooke just like my Daddy" he shrugged off and she just hugged him thinking he was the cutest thing ever.

"Hey Nate" she turned to the raven haired man that watched the interactions of his family with his friend.

"You totally did it" he smiled as he hugged her too.

"So where is your partner in crime?" Haley looked around the apparently empty apartment.

"He is getting ready in his place, he will be here soon" Brooke explained as they made it to the huge couch in her living room though Nathan and Jamie soon found their way to the video game Brooke had bought when they moved to New York.

"You are glowing" Haley offered softly "And I am sure it is not because of what you did after we hung up"

"I am happy, it is been a long time since I am this happy I guess I didn't even remembered the feeling"

"Did you talk?" the redheaded asked glad at her friend's happiness.

"Not yet actually. You have no idea how demanding four children can be. We didn't have time to do it while we were there, let alone have a conversation"

"And I guess 'it' it is the only you guys have done ever since you arrived yesterday" Haley shook her head smiling lightly.

"It was like I couldn't really stop it. My body craved for his touch more than I could control" she blushed slightly. They made it like rabbits in the past two days but still she felt like she hadn't had enough of him yet.

"I am happy for you! If there is someone that deserves to finally find the boy is you Brooke"

"I guess this is it, Haley. I've never felt this before you know. If I have to work I can't wait until I see him. If I am with him I can't stop myself from being intimate with him. If we make love I just want to keep doing it. It is not addicting, Julian is definitely not a drug. He is a deep need; he is an uncontrollable and endless pleasure. He is my completion and what makes me feel alive but at the same time already in Heaven" Brooke confessed and she couldn't stop the tears shimmering her eyes.

"That's amazing; you deserve to have Mr. Right" and as the last word left her mouth the front door revealing the object of their conversation.

Julian expected to be there before the Scotts and he was actually surprised to find them already in her place as he made it without announcing he was arriving, as if he owned the place.

"I guess your wait is done" Brooke offered as she stood up to kiss the man she loved so much.

"Hey, Baby" she greeted kissing him lightly "Come in, let me introduce you to my family"

"This is Haley, my best friend, this is Nathan the best guy in the world after you and this is Jamie my amazing godson" she pointed to each of the occupants of her house "Guys, this is my boyfriend, Julian Baker" she said with pride.

"Nice to meet you man" Nathan was the first to stand up and shake his hand "I've heard all of you" he completed and Brooke looked proudly to her man "Hurt her and I kill you" Nathan whispered with a smile plastered in his face.

"I am Jamie" the boy told Julian clearly ignoring Brooke's introduction "You are the guy that lives near my house, aren't you?" he completed and Nathan looked at Julian more carefully. He was indeed the man that had talked to him and Jamie weeks before, when they first visited the house that they later bought.

"That would be, me" he offered his grin. He had a soft spot for kids in his heart and Jamie certainly seemed to see a very special and smart one.

"So did you already know him?" Haley asked surprised.

"Yeah the first day we checked the house, when I went outside to check on Jamie apparently Julian was there talking to him"

Julian knew the lecture was coming and he wouldn't let the small boy have it "Actually the moment I said 'hi' Jamie had been adamant that he didn't talk to strangers and he was about to make his way back inside when his father came out" he said first, beating Haley.

"Okay, then" Haley nodded to her son and then moved to properly greet Julian "Nice to meet you, Julian" she offered "If you hurt her and my husband doesn't finish the job, you better run because I will" she completed with a big grin.

"I guess I don't need to worry that much about having your back, Honey, you seem to have it absolutely covered" he smirked and she rolled her eyes at her friends.

"Just checking" Haley shrugged.

"Do you play Wii, Julian?" Jamie jumped in the conversation "You have no idea, kiddo" he surprisingly took Jamie in his arms leading to where the videogame was.

"He seems like a nice guy, Brooke" Nathan offered in his protective way "He was very nice to Jamie back that day and he seems to really like kids" he looked at the pair that was already engaged in a tennis match.

"He is" was all she could say mesmerized by the interaction between the two more important men in her life.

"Nathan, come here to help your little man because I think he may need some help" Julian called out and Nathan with a smile in his face was already ready to play some tennis in the Wii.

"How about we get everything ready for dinner while the big men do their thing?" Haley suggested and the two friends headed to the kitchen.

* * *

"I let them deciding the second place" Julian said an hour later as he entered the kitchen. It was the perfect excuse for him to see his girlfriend again. He was already missing her.

"I am happy you found some time to check on me" she told him showing her spoiled side.

"I always have time for you, Hun" he kissed her quickly and hugging her from behind he turned to Haley.

"Did Brooke talk to you about the movie?" he asked.

"Yes she is really excited about it" her friend shared.

"I mean about your participation…" he looked down at Brooke how already had her sorry smile plastered in her face "I totally forgot, Baby" she looked up at him.

"It is okay, Honey" he shook his head and looked up to Haley who had a puzzled face.

"When I first had breakfast with Brooklyn she was reading…" he started but stopped at Haley's apparently uncontrollable laughs.

"Sorry" she tried to say but she was already crying because of her laughs "Brooklyn? Really?" she gasped some air that was now missing as she laughed as a crazy.

"I like it…" Brooke said somewhat shy.

"Oh my Goodness! You actually made her like her name? Wow now I know she really loves you, she hated her name" Haley recovered her breath from her laughing.

"It is a beautiful name that fits her perfectly" he moved his fingers to Brooke's chin and lifted it up turning her to look at him "She is perfect"

"Awww, how cute he is Brooklyn. I know now why you are so head over heels" Haley mocked a bit and for a moment Brooke felt what Julian had been through while they were at Isabella's.

"Anyway, as I was saying, she was reading an article about you in a magazine and she told me about this great singer that happened to be her best friend and how she was happy for your record" he resumed his previous subject "I told her I would listen and I have to agree the album is indeed great"

"Thank you" and it was now Haley turn to be shy. She never handled compliments very well because of her shyness.

"So I wanted to use your songs in the movie. I already talked to the music producer and he totally supported the decision. We haven't contacted you yet because Brooklyn here was supposed to talk to you and see if you were interested" he kissed the side of his girlfriend's head.

"Are you serious?" the redheaded asked and suddenly she was the serious one.

"Absolutely" he nodded and Brooke grinned seeing that her friend was surprised but also happy about the invitation.

"How did you forget to tell me this, Tigger?" she slapped Brooke softly in the arm.

"I guess I was too busy talking about Julian that I forgot everything else" she shrugged.

"Nathan!" she cried out her husband's name as she made her way back to the living room.

"Should I take that as a 'yes'?" he confused asked to the woman in his arms.

"I guess so. I missed you" she turned around in his arms moving her hands to the back of his neck and pulling him to a kiss, which he quickly accepted.

"Everything is ready for dinner. Let's eat now because I think Jamie won't make it to midnight" she suggested after they broke apart.

"Whatever you want, Dimples" he used the line that he so often told her lately.

* * *

"The food was great, B. I am now sure you didn't do any of this" Nathan said as they sat in the balcony while Haley had been gone to tug Jamie who barely made it to the end of the dinner.

"Ha-ha" she smiled grimacing to him.

"So what's this movie about?" Nathan asked. Surely the conversations about Julian involved only Brooke and Haley and he knew little to nothing about the production that his wife had just agreed to be part of.

"Initially it was simply a flick based in another novel of the Devil Wears Prada author" Julian explained nonchalantly.

"Initially?" Brooke asked confused. Had something changed and she didn't know about it?

"Yeah. Now it is all about you" he leaned down and pecked her in the lips softly.

"You guys are so sappy" Haley said as she walked in the balcony and headed to her husband's lap.

"I am sure we are yet to beat Naley in this" Brooke challenged.

"Sorry, B. but we were never like this" Nathan moved his hands between Brooke and Julian.

"Oh, you were way worse than this"

"Seriously Brooke, if there is a competition out there to sappiness I am sure Juke will be the winner"

"Juke? Really?" Nathan chuckled

"Ooh, you totally missed it, Honey, you know what's Brooke favorite name now?" Haley asked realizing that Julian hadn't used her name during their dinner and Nathan shook his head but already holding a smile in his face.

"Brooklyn" she proudly revealed.

"No way. Man, you got Brooke Davis around your finger. Brooklyn Freaking Davis" he burst out laughing being followed by Haley.

"It is my name after all. I should like it" Brooke tried to argue but it was of no avail, they only laughed harder.

"Now if Haley never convinced you that Royal is pretty then I guess she isn't as good as Julls is" Brooke quickly retorted playfully.

"Okay, enough with names" Nathan soon suggested letting the laughs die.

* * *

"You've got a great view from here, Davis" Nathan said as he watched a new batch of fireworks in the sky. The two couples had been talking about nothing for the past hour but the shining sky got their attention then.

"Yeah it is beautiful" she contemplated as she nuzzled in Julian's lap, fixing the blanket she had over them.

Nathan and Haley were also cuddling in the chair covered by a blanket at the other side of the balcony. It was now only a little over an hour until midnight and Brooke couldn't remember of a more perfect New Year's Eve in her life. Usually she went to a hot party, accompanied by someone her mother had chosen to escort her. It was actually the first time she had spent the holiday in her penthouse that just like Nathan said had a privileged view of New York spectacular fireworks.

"Did you already make your wishes?" he muttered softly to her.

"Yeah…" she sighed. She wanted the upcoming year to be different. She wanted it to be a good year for her and she couldn't imagine a better way to start it than being in his arms and surrounded by her family.

It was the first time in longer than he could remember that he hadn't spent the holiday in North Carolina. Ever since Isabella moved there, even before the kids, he and Nat had always traveled there. They loved the snow in Christmas and they always stayed for New Year's too.

"I made mine too" he whispered and surely it wasn't much different than what she had wanted. He could only wish that she would be his every one of the three hundred and sixty-five days of the following year.

"Is it really real? Am I with you? We are really together here?" she asked him remembering for a moment of everything she had been through before him. Remembering of the most horrifying day of her life not much longer than a month ago.

"Yes, Baby, this is true" he used the pet name she always called him. "I am here and I am not going anywhere. Nor now nor ever" he assured her.

Brooked looked at Haley and Nathan who were also talking cuddled and not really paying any attention to her and Julian.

"You rescued me, Julls. You changed my life forever. I am so happy that you are here with me, I am so happy that I have you" she confessed and he felt like she had more to do so he softly nodded his head for her to continue.

"Ever since the day you took care of me, in our first night together. The way you didn't let me make a complete fool of myself and how you ensured that I would make home safely. The way you tried the best you could to do not take advantage of my pathetic drunk state. The way you fought for me when I had told you to go to hell. The way you held me while I cried that day. Ever since day one you had took care of me. You saved me Julian; you were there for me when you barely knew me. When I didn't ask. When I hadn't been there for you, you were there for me. I love you for so many reasons. I love you for everything you did to me, I love you for the love that you showed me, for the way you made love to me but I love especially because of you. You are the best man I've ever met and I am so happy that you love me. I am so happy that I love you. Loving you is the best feeling I've got" she had actually tears falling down on her beautiful face.

"I don't want it to stop. I don't want it to end. I need you. I want you. I love you" she concluded and lacking any words to say back to her he just kissed her.

"I am not afraid anymore. I was so afraid of being hurt. I was so guarded of my heart but then you happened to me and now I am not afraid anymore. Now I am ready to finally give my heart and I am sorry I hurt you so much" she revealed, showing that she hadn't let what happened totally behind them.

"I want you to forgive and forget" he told her rubbing his finger in her face. "I don't like New Year's resolutions but I actually want to make one this year and I want you to do in this with me. I want you to forget what happened and to forgive yourself. I want to forget what happened and forgive myself. I want this new year to be a new time for us. I don't want us to think about what happened. It already happened and I know you regret it as much as I do. We need to let it behind us; I don't want these tears to ever be of pain because of what happened. I love you, Brooklyn, I want to spend the rest of my life with you"

"I'll do it for you, Baby. I'll let it behind us because I just can't deny it to you" she had to speak louder as the fireworks announced the countdown was now close.

"Let me take the champagne" he offered kissing the side of her forehead.

He was soon back with the bottle and the four glasses in hand. Brooke had the blanket over her shoulders and Nathan and Haley had it wrapped around the two of them.

Julian filled the four glasses and joined Brooke under the blanket, positioning himself behind her and replacing the blanket in her skin with his body.

The two couples talked a little before the final countdown finally started and when the clock finally reached midnight they got their glasses up "Happy New Year" they cheered and sipping their drink quickly both couples engaged into passionate kisses.

"I love you" he told her, looking deep in her eyes.

"I love you too, Baby" she answered back bringing him to another deep kiss.

"Guys, we are going to bed. Everything in your bedroom is arranged. If you need anything just get it. Mi casa, tu casa" she offered to her friends after the four of them had hugged.

"Thanks for everything, Tigger. Have a good night" Haley winked and only mouthed to her best friend 'I will' as Julian carried her to her bedroom.

* * *

As he reached her bed he carefully laid her down covering her body with his own, kissing her slowly and intimately, the way she knew only he was able to do.

After the kiss unlike she had imagined, he didn't deep the contact. He moved his arm to her side and leaning on his hand, with his elbow in the bed, he caressed her face and rubbed off the bangs falling over it.

"We are official" he grinned uncontrollably. They had made it. As much as they felt as boyfriend and girlfriend for real ever since Christmas they had cemented their relationship just now. They had confessed their feelings and they had agreed that the past would remain in the past and that all that mattered was the future they would build together.

"Yes, Baby. I guess TMZ made sure to get it covered yesterday" she smiled sweetly showing off the dimples that he loved so much.

"I know but I still feel like I want to go outside and yell my lungs off for the whole world to know that I love you" he confessed his true wish.

"I am not holding you" she teased also moving her hand to his face. She loved that man more than words could say. She loved to look at his face, to see the sweet eyes that had captured her heart so easily. The eyes that showed how great he was and the eyes that had denuded her soul. The eyes that looked at her with such love and adoration. The eyes that gave her hope that her dreams were finally coming true. All of them.

"I guess I don't want to jinx it" he answered and the grin never abandoned his pretty manly face.

"You better do not jinx it" she let her finger contour his face barely touching his skin as she bit her bottom lip.

It aroused him to no end though he could see how innocent her moves were. He could see the anxiety and the hope in her eyes pleading him to do not jinx, to do not change what they had. But nonetheless it got him excited and soon he moved his hand from her face to her thigh pulling up her loosen dress.

Quickly he had moved from his position and his mouth had found its way to the bare skin that both of his hands were uncovering. From her thighs he moved to her flat stomach and stayed there for a little longer. She was so feminine; her curves were so sexy and womanish. She wasn't just flat, she was beautiful. There was something else about each part of her body and her stomach was definitely a symbol of her womanliness.

After a few minutes kissing, touching and smelling her stomach he pulled the dress off revealing her strapless white bra. He loved it when she wore white lingerie. It fit her creamy and flawless skin.

He soon took rid of the piece of underwear that flattered her and found his lips on her perfect breast. He rubbed it with the tip of nose; he kissed it softly and let his tongue harden her nipple. His hands weren't in the twin; actually they were rubbing her hips up and down, in the same rhythm of his mouth ministrations.

Brooke was more than aroused. They had sex countless times ever since they had been back in New York but it had always been something urgent, a deep need that they needed to supply but now it was like the day back in the beach. The day he loved her for the first time. He was so gently, he was so thoughtful and sensible. But he wasn't any less hot and arousing while being so tender.

"Love me, my Love. Love me, Julian" she whispered as she caressed his hair slowly.

He got the message and kneeing in the bed he also got rid of his clothes, standing completely naked over her, who was wearing only her white panties. He reached out the small lace material and she was then totally exposed to him as well.

He couldn't waste any time, his body was already all set to her and for what he could see and sense she was as ready. He laid down slowly over her and hiding her small frame under his bigger one he kissed her amorously but somewhat lustily too.

Their intimate parts were brushing each other's and their excitement was almost uncontrollable now. None of them could resist any longer without feeling the other as deep as possible.

He moved both of his hands under her back and holding her shoulder from under her, he finally moved his hard and long length inside of her. His moves were careful and heavy, almost imperceptible but quite stimulating. She moaned at his low speed and intense motion. She arched her body and he increased the grip in her shoulders as the change in her position made him reach a different spot inside of her. She was so tight and shrunken that he found himself obliged to speed up though not too much.

Brooke moaned and curved her body even harder, shrinking her walls around his hard erection.

"Baby, this way I can't resist too longer" he confessed and moaned as her body reacted to his words.

"I am almost there too" she breathed out.

"We barely started" he sped down his ministrations but he couldn't say if it helped or let him even closer to the climax.

"Baby, I am impressed you still have something inside of you after all times we did it since yesterday. Come to me, Baby, come to your girl" her words ignited something inside of him and he sped up again

"Come to your girlfriend…" she said between moans.

"… come to your woman… only yours… all yours… forever yours" she yelled as she finally came and led him to also release in her.

"You will be the death of me, Brooklyn" he whispered as he lied down and brought her body to rest over his

"At least you will die happy"

"Happier than any human being had ever been" he kissed her hair, breathing in her sweet smell as his eyelids fluttered closed slowly and in no time both of them were sleeping in each other arms totally unaware of the disarray that was about to happen.

* * *

In the next morning, Haley preferred to stay in bed a little longer. Nathan and Jamie had gone out to their morning jogging and also to grab them breakfast because she was positive Brooke didn't have anything there for them to eat.

She was enjoying the peace of her deserved additional rest when she heard something. She had listened to Julian leaving just before Nathan and Jamie but she was sure Brooke was still sleeping. Being the neurotic person she was about safety, she walked out of her bedroom and found out that the noises were coming from her best friend's room.

"Brooke what happened?" Haley entered the bedroom to find Brooke breaking down in tears and sobs.

Brooke couldn't formulate words but she brought Haley's hand to underneath her pajama's shirt moving it up to her left breast where she forced Haley's fingers against her skin. Haley could immediately feel the protuberance on her friends' breast. It was huge and another two seemed to be adjacent to the biggest one.

"When did you notice it for the first time?" Haley asked barely over a whisper.

"This morning before Julian left we had been caressing each other and he had kissed and sucked it like he always do but when he moved his hand I felt something moving inside of me. I told him I wasn't feeling so well and he surely understood it and cuddled with me until we heard Jamie and Nathan talking. He decided to leave because he had some last minute things to check before we resume to shoot tomorrow"

"Maybe it is nothing" Haley tried to help her friend but her voice didn't sound as confident as she planned.

"That's something that I can't tell Julian. Just yesterday we were making New Year's resolutions about a happy life together, about forgetting the bad stuff and forgiving ourselves, letting it go, you know? And how am I supposed to tell him that I may have cancer?"

"But you can't hide something like this from him, Brooke" Haley pondered.

"I know but he is so happy, we are so happy. Why does it have to happen now?"

"First of all you are not even sure that you have it or not. I know your grandmother died because of this and that Victoria also had it but it doesn't mean you have or ever will. I can understand how you are feeling but you need to check before you jump to any conclusions, Brooke"

"I wish I could do it. I knew it was coming. I always knew it was coming and that's why I never went there because I knew it would make it real and that's why I won't go there" she cried out compulsively. She couldn't believe she was going through this now. Now that she had finally met the man she loved. Now that she finally had a reason to face her biggest fear so far. She was thinking about scheduling an appointment at the gynecologist but not for one moment she thought about checking if she had cancer. She wanted to evaluate her fertility condition but now it seemed like there was nothing there to be measure.

"So your plan is just to die?" Haley asked incredulous.

"I am happy, I am happier than I've ever been in my life and I am not ready for it to end" she confessed and the look in her eyes led Haley to cry and look away. Brooke didn't deserve this.

"Schedule the appointment and I will be there for you and if indeed there is something wrong, I'll be there. You have Nathan and I and you have Julian, Brooke. Can you imagine how hurt he will be if he loses you because you were afraid? Can you imagine how hurt he will be simply because you hid something this big from him? You lied once and hiding this from him would be lying again" Haley offered as she finally found some strength in her.

"I know. But I don't want to break his heart again. If I say something I will break him now and then again when I go, if I don't say a word I will break him only once. Breaking him once is better than breaking him twice" the mention of how devastated he would be hurt even harder in her. They had promised to forget and forgive some hours ago and she had mentally promised to never break his heart again. She hated that she would have to do it to him.

"Stop saying you are dying!" Haley sort of freaked out "Brooke, you are not dying even if you have this. We will go to the doctor, you will tell Julian and if there is something wrong they will fix it, okay?"

Julian froze at his spot. He thought it would take him the whole morning to get everything ready for the next day but everything had been basically taken care of by his crew.

He didn't plan to listen to his girlfriend private conversation but when he was about to make it to the doorway of Brooke's room he had heard Haley shouting those words and then telling Brooke what she had to do.

He felt like he had lost his ground. Somehow he lost it because his knees went weak and he couldn't stay stood. He leaned over the wall to find his balance but still he couldn't. He slid down and sat on the floor. That could only be a bad joke. His Brooklyn wasn't dying, she couldn't be dying.

"I don't even have an OB & Gyn" Brooke whispered.

"Go to Victoria's. I am sure you mother has the best physician in New York. Ask Millie the phone and we will call there to schedule you an appointment" Haley offered rubbing her best friend's arm. Brooke only nodded and did as she was said.

Julian was still by the other side of the wall unable to move while he listened to Brooke talking to Millie and then to the doctor's assistant.

"What now?" Brooke pleaded for Haley to have the answer.

"We wait until tomorrow and we go there and everything will work out"

"I need to tell Julian. How am I supposed to tell the man I love that I'm dying?" she sighed and the tears quickly rolled down her beautiful face. It would be too painful to let him know that she might be dying.

"Brooke, you can't tell him you are dying because you don't know if you are! I know you have on-going cases of cancer in your family but for all we know these nodes could be hormones! Maybe you only have a hormonal dysfunction. It happens all the time" Haley tried to sound optimistic but after all her own mother went through talk about cancer was difficult to her.

"I know it is something else, Haley. I can feel it" she sighed tiredly.

"Brooke, let's check the doctor first. You tell Julian the truth but only the truth which is you found a few nodes in your breast. That's all there to tell"

Brooke only nodded and thought about everything Haley told her. Maybe her friend was right. Maybe instead of thinking that something had to destroy her happiness, maybe now it was the time that she would have the boy that she had dreamed about many years ago. The boy that was worth waiting every one of those days. The boy for who she would fight until the end. The boy that was dying a little just a few inches of her.

The two friends hugged each other and headed outside the bedroom. When Brooke stepped out of her room the sight in front of her broke her heart. Julian was sat at the floor, elbows on his knees and his head buried in his hands. There was a pool of tears in the middle of his legs and he silently sobbed and his body shaked.

As Brooke stopped suddenly in her tracks, Haley bumped in her friend and she was about to ask her what happened when she saw Julian too.

"Talk to him, Brooke, you know nothing, he knows nothing, okay?"

Brooke didn't even answer her friend she only muttered his name. "Julian"

The man hadn't really realized their presence and hadn't really acknowledged what Haley had said to Brooke just before they walked out the room. The last thing he remembered was Brooke pouring out her heart asking Haley how she was supposed to tell her boyfriend she was dying. But now as she called out his name and touched his shoulder he realized that her conversation with Haley had finished.

She looked as devastated as him. Her eyes puff and red of her crying. He immediately wrapped his arms around her small frame, holding her with his life as she bent down on her knees in front of him.

"Tell me you are not dying. Tell me that I misunderstood everything" his grip on her was strong.

She remembered of Haley's last words inside the bedroom.

"I am not dying" she muttered and his grip only increased around her "Thank God. Oh my God, thank You" he desperately exclaimed.

Brooke let some more fears to fall. Why did she have the clear feeling that she was lying to him? They kept embraced in the floor for some minutes. He was still sat but she was on her knees that soon started to hurt. He realized that their position was anything but comfortable, especially to her, so he brought her over his lap and they stayed in the floor.

"What happened? What was that conversation about? I heard you scheduling an appointment" his voice was tense and cracking.

"I found some nodes in my breast. Actually you found them this morning" she confessed.

"Damn it" he cursed quietly.

"Maybe it is nothing, just like Haley said. It is just that…" her voice embargoed and she gulped.

"What?" he asked softly and fearfully of her next words.

"My grandma died of this and my mother had removed her uterus and both of her breasts otherwise she would have died too" she nuzzled her head in the crook of her neck, holding his polo collar fiercely.

He was silent for a moment. Everything was so overwhelming and devastating that he needed a moment.

"I'll go with you" he said confidently a few minutes later. "We will fight this together, whatever it is. We don't know what it is and I am sure it wasn't there when we first made love. I am absolutely sure it wasn't there six weeks ago and it can't be that bad if it had only appeared at most six weeks ago, can it be?"

"I am afraid" she kept her hold in his clothes.

"I am here with you, Honey, I won't let anything bad happen to you, okay?" he assured her once more and he had no idea where this determination came from. He knew deep inside he was scared as hell but he needed to be strong for her.

"I love you" she finally looked up at his face and he kissed her forehead softly "I love you too and I have a life to spend with you and a house to populate with our kids, you are not going anywhere" he brushed her cheek tenderly and the hope and need she saw in his eyes was enough for now.

* * *

They went to the doctor in the following day and had spent hours running all the labs she had to. She was ashamed to confess, especially in front of Julian, that the last time she had an Ob Gyn appointment was when she had a pregnancy scare in high school and that's why the doctor asked her to do so many exams.

She was exhausted, both emotionally and physically as they finally stepped out of the fancy practice. He could see how she was vulnerable right then and he just wanted it to end.

"We will get through this. Let's do as we planned. We well do our gifts exchange, I am making you dinner no matter what the results are. If you indeed have cancer I am sure it will be treatable. Isabella had a lot of those nodes and none caused her any problems because it was never cancer. You are not dying, are you listening?" his voice was steady and his eyes that always spoke to her showed that he really believed in that. He found positiveness in the doctor's words though he was surprised to know Brooke had had so many problems that she had neglected for so many years.

"Thank you. I wouldn't make without you. I wouldn't make if it wasn't for you. You are the only reason I am fighting this" she confessed.

"Great, because I am not ready to let you go. I'll never you so you better live ninety more years" he offered the best smile he was able to plaster at that moment.

* * *

Brooke looked at the number in the screen of her phone. She knew that number. She had only dialed it once but she wouldn't forget those numbers any time soon.

"Brooke Davis" her shaky voice announced.

"Hi, Dr Nash. I am good and you?" her voice cracking in anxiety.

"I can't go there now I'll stop there by the afternoon"

"Please don't let me wait until then. You just said you have the results. Tell me Dr Nash, do I have cancer?"

* * *

_AN: I am a day late, I know and I am so sorry but I had doubled shifts at work last week - including Saturday, urgh... but now that everything is settled down I guess I will have more time to write._

_As you can see by this chapter I had actually decide to develop some ideas in this fic... I am not very confident of them yet but as they come you will let me know what you think._

_Thanks to **Kayla, Syrine, Artemi, MaryOTH, ****Y0uNMcK33, HaileyBOTH, Sab, sb1218 and xxAshley **__for the reviews__. Let me know your thoughts about this._

_I have the next chapter outlined, though not written yet, and coming up: the results are up, their gift exchange as he promised they would do; they travel to Wilmington again to share the events they've been through and the changes they will do in their routine for the following months._

_Talk to you soon,_

_Babi  
_


	32. Juker & Dimples: Julian & Brooke's Pt II

**Lying Helpless in Her Arms**

**Chapter 31 - Julian and Brooke's Part II**

**

* * *

**Brooke had been in disarray ever since the doctor had called. She had to seat as the doctor explained what her exams had detected. Living under the fear of dying of cancer anytime was demanding but for the first time in her life she didn't get only bad news.

As much as she had prepared herself to something like that in the moment it truly happened it was overwhelming and she felt like she couldn't breathe. Talk to Julian was her first reaction but she soon made up her mind against it. She needed to buy the gift she would give to him and all of sudden she had found herself just in front of the store. Maybe people were right and life changing events really brought some clarity because everything was crystal clear for her then and she knew exactly what she was going to give him.

She didn't tell him about the doctor when they had lunch together. She told him she still had to find his gift – which had become a lie as she had just bought it – and used it as an excuse to finally talk properly to Dr. Nash and understand what her life would be from now on.

Julian would have wanted to be with her and she made sure she scheduled another appointment for the following day. She wouldn't share the news with him before their special dinner.

Thankfully she had been able to hold back her emotions and Julian hadn't caught her lie about the gift neither how anxious nor tense she was during their lunch. She also wanted desperately to tell Haley about it but she needed to talk to Julian before and dinner time had never taken so long but after seeing the doctor and heading home she finally heard the man she loved entering her apartment.

"So how was your day? I missed you in the set today" her boyfriend said from the doorway of her bedroom.

"Hey, Baby" she softly and weakly answered from the bed. She had been lying for the past two hours. She thought maybe it was emotional, as a consequence of the news she got, but she felt like there was no more energy in her. It was funny that the before when she didn't know what was going on with her she felt okay but then when she already knew her condition she felt like a truck had ran over her.

"Are you feeling okay?" he asked thinking it was unusual for someone as cheerful as Brooke to be laid down at seven in the night.

"I guess your gift hunt had finally overtired me" she lied and she hated to lie to him like that but she knew in the end it would be worth. She wanted their dinner to be special. First because he had been talking about the gift he got her for weeks and also because it was special to them because what she got him was too special to them.

"You don't need to do this, Brooklyn. I told all I care is to have you" he reached for her, brushing the back of his fingers in her cheek and then leaning down to softly peck her in the lips.

"But today is going to be a special day for us and I wanted it to be perfect. I am sure I did a great job with it" she nodded her head towards the nightstand and he could see the small white gift-wrapped box.

"Did you kill yourself for the past three weeks for that?" he teased sensing that she needed to be cheered.

"Don't they say good things come in small packages?" she shrugged and she was sure she had nailed on the present. Julian would never forget it and neither would she.

"That may explain why you are so perfect" he pulled her for a longer kiss.

"Do you feel like getting out?" he told her as they broke apart. He could sense she wasn't in a good shape at all.

"Honestly? Not really. I know you had to sell your soul to get those reservations in such short notice but I'm not sure I can make it" she made up the perfect excuse. She didn't want to be in any public place because she knew the end of their night would be very emotional and she already had been stressful by the many paparazzi that had been hunting them for the past week.

"Whatever you want, Honey" he kissed her forehead. He was worried about her but he knew it wasn't only about her tiring chase for the perfect present. Ever since they went to Dr. Nash practice she had been exhausted. It seemed like she was as bad physically as she was emotionally. He couldn't wait until they finally disclosed her health condition.

"I have some delivery menus in the first drawer in the cabinet by the phone at the kitchen" she suggested as she rested her head in his chest. She certainly needed it.

"Not a chance. I've wanted to cook to you in a while and I think tonight is the perfect night to this. Do we actually have any food?" he gladly explained but he realized immediately how he had referred to her place. "I mean, do you have food here?" he corrected himself nervously. Only to mention sharing the place with her let him nervous about it. They had had two amazing weeks ever since they fully reconciled during Christmas. It was like a dream. Surely sometimes things were overly emotional but their feelings were too big anyway and big emotions would always be part of their relationship.

"I think I have some pasta but I am not sure I have something to do the sauce" she lamented. She would love him to cook to her.

"That's definitely not a problem. I will but some vegetables and give us a traditional Italian dinner and pasta"

"Would you do that for me?" she smiled sweetly to him.

"Everything for you, Baby" he used her pet name. He was more and more using it too.

* * *

He stayed out for almost an hour and took almost two to finally invite her to join him. In the meanwhile she had taken a nap and lately a shower and felt much better than when he had arrived. She was happy that as the night progressed it got better and she was heading to have a special dinner he had prepared to her.

"It smells greatly" she offered and he immediately turned from the food he was decorating with some parsley.

"But there is no better smell in the world than yours, especially after shower Brooke" he grinned and it was enough to make her teary. Julian thought it was weird. Why would she be teary over such a sappy and simple comment? "Honey, is everything okay?" he insisted on the question he had made as soon as he entered her bedroom earlier.

"Yes, Baby, it is just that you are so perfect and that I love you so much and I will always will" she offered and the tears that had formed one by one were now rolling down her face. "I am just happy because I have you, my life have never been so good"

There wasn't anything truer in Brooke Davis life than the words that she was telling to the man that she loved so much. She wanted to spend every single day of her life by his side. She wanted and she needed it. The safety and confidence that Julian had brought to her life changed her view of things.

"I love you too, Honey and you definitely make me the happiest man alive" he leaned down and kissed her softly and slowly.

"Shall we?" he asked but he couldn't stop kissing her and he gave her many quick pecks after they broke apart from the longer kiss.

"Yes" she answered between the smooches.

He had lit a couple of candles and served their food while a single yellow rose stood in the vase in the middle of her table.

"Everything is perfect" she sighed. He was always so good to her and she loved him for this.

"Let's eat" he suggested pecking her in the lips and moving to his seat.

They ate and talked and he could say something was off. Or on, he actually didn't understand what happened but he knew something had happened. He wouldn't push. He had learned already that when Brooke felt comfortable she would open up to him. He understood how hard it was for her to get through this. Haley told him how Brooke had lost her beloved grandmother and the little she knew about the battle the elder Davis woman went through.

Putting those thoughts away he focused in the woman in front of him. He reached out for her hand and kissed it gently in the back. She cracked a small smile as he did it with his eyes closed. She loved the way he did it and she was happy that he didn't drop this habit.

They finished dinner and she excused herself and told him to wait for her in the balcony. The outdoor area was one of their favorite spots in the penthouse and they had spent many nights talking and being close to each other there though they were yet to christen it as she would say.

She reappeared some minutes later holding the small package that he had made fun of.

"I guess it is time for Christmas" she smiled nervously to him. She knew he would love what she got him though it wasn't exactly a gift _to him_. It was just a symbol.

"Since I got it weeks ago, I have the right to start" he told her as he got the small box from his pants pocket.

"Too much about small packages. At least I guess it isn't a popsicle for what I can say" she chuckled and he looked at her with a puzzled face. He had no idea of what she was talking about.

"So…" she started anxiously staring the box in his hands. It was a velvet black box that caused her to have knots in her stomach. Was he going to propose?

"Sure" he told her as he handed her the box and she carefully opened it. As she did so she was sure it wasn't an engagement ring otherwise he wouldn't hand it for her to open but would have opened it by himself and maybe even got on one knee.

"Oh my God!" was all she could say.

"I thought I would give you something to show how in this I am" he shyly explained as she looked up to him with tears in her eyes.

He explained the meaning of each element and how he also wanted it to be red because that was definitely her color. To say Brooke was touched was an understatement. Not only because of his gift but also because of the one she was about to give him.

Recovering the best she could from the emotional moment and preparing herself to an even more emotional she handed him the white little box. It was curious to see how two such small packages held two things so big for them.

He shook the little box, that was incredibly light but the muffled sound didn't give him any hint. She looked at him nervously as he slowly removed the ribbon. They looked at each other one more time. He had a silly and curious smile while she held a jitter expression. He moved his gaze back to the box that he was about to open while she kept hers on his.

The moment the contents of the little box were revealed Julian gasped for air. Did he take the right message? It couldn't be real.

"Is that what I think it is?" he looked up from the two small objects to the woman he loved so much and with who he planned to spend the rest of his life. She only nodded as a tear fell. Seeing the woman he had just told all those things crying also led him to tears and he just threw his arms around her.

In the moment he couldn't think of the consequences of what she was going through was going to do to his life. Actually to their lives. Everything was so intense and he didn't know what to say. He asked about what the doctor said and he cried even harder.

"Did you schedule another appointment?" he finally voiced something.

"Yes, for tomorrow morning" she sniffled offering him a small smile.

"I can't believe this" he leaned down his face resting his forehead in hers.

"Neither do I, Baby, neither do I" she smiled, cried and kissed him all together. His love was always reassuring and everything that came with it was a blessing. "But that's not everything" her voice cracked announcing that there was more to come. "I also had to schedule another appointment for next week… with the oncologist" and the big grin in his face immediately dropped.

* * *

It had been hectic after the gifts exchange. They had stayed in the balcony for long two hours talking about all the changes they would do in their lives and then they decided it was time to share the news with their family.

While Brooke tried to get them tickets for Wilmington, Julian contacted Isabella and Nathalie.

"_Hey, Julls, long time no see, I guess now that you have a girlfriend you forgot you have a sister"_ Nathalie pouted as usual.

"I've been back to New York barely for a week and I called… once I guess" he confessed realizing that indeed he had been absent ever since they came back.

"_Anyway, I guess you must have realized that you still have a family. Late in the night I must say. Am I wrong or is it past midnight up there?"_ she shared her thoughts with her brother.

"Yes, actually I need you to travel to Wilmington. Brooke is on the phone with the airlines, she got tickets for tomorrow lunch time. Do you think you can make it here and join us or go there at most tomorrow night?"

"_What happened now?"_ Nathalie asked cautiously remembering of the events of Thanksgiving. Why would her brother want her to travel to Wilmington all of sudden. Then it hit her. _"Oh my God, are you getting married?"_

"No Nat, we are not getting married… I guess… Not yet" he stuttered.

"You are stuttering" she laughed her head off. Julian was the most confident man she ever met and having him stuttering about marrying Brooke was amusing.

"Ha-ha" he said with a smile in his face. His sister would never change.

"_So I guess you at least proposed"_ she pointed out

"No, I didn't propose either. Can you come or not? It is important" his voice was all of sudden serious and it let Nat uneasy.

"_You can't just ask me to cross the country from night to day without giving anything away. What happened? If you are not getting married I can't honestly see why this is so important, unless it is not good news"_ she protested.

"Fine but if you tell Isabella I disown you. There are some stuff going on with Brooke and me and I am going to need to be closer to her all while it. Actually I don't really need, I want to, so I asked her to move in with me, which basically is the other way around for now as my house is in LA and we need to be in NY until the movie production is finished. I am moving in with her and that's all I am telling you over phone" he gave in his sister insistence.

"_You do move fast. Not that I expected something any different. You avoided giving your heart so hard that I knew the moment you met the right girl in no time you would be getting married and populating the world"_ she laughed and Julian followed suit.

"So I guess we should expect the same from you, shouldn't we?"

"_Whatever. I'll try to get a ticket and I'll let you know what I get. Also I need to know about the gifts. You were supposed to exchange them today, right?"_ she asked curious to know what they got to each other and hoping that her brother would spill the beans

"And how do you know that?"

"_Because my soon-to-be sister-in-law actually calls me, you know?"_ she told him sarcastically.

"Okay Nat. I need to let Isabella know we are going now that I know you are going and she is probably in bed" he avoided the question and also the fact that Brooke paid more attention to his family than he did lately.

"_It better be good, Jully, I mean in addition to you too moving in together. You will probably interrupt sex"_ she smirked and her brother cursed his sister about the pictures that Nathalie had just incited in his head.

"_This better be good_" Dylan answered the phone and Julian cursed under his breath. How Nathalie knew this stuff?

"Hey, Dylan, what's up man" Julian said weakly.

"_Trying to have some mom and dad private time you know, but it seems like the world is conspiring against some life saving sex"_ the other man frustrated shared.

"No details, Dy. There is a line and I really don't want this line to be crossed. Can you get my sister for me please?"

"_That's all I've been trying all night long. The kids, Nat, you. Really, what have I done_?" the blond lamented as he handed the phone to his sister.

"_What now?"_ Isabella blurted taking the phone.

"_Brooke and I are traveling there tomorrow. I just talked to Nathalie and she is also going. We have an announcement to do and share some news"_ Julian went straight to the point while Brooke joined him. She kissed his cheek and offered him a shy smile.

"_What happened?"_ Isabella asked all of sudden concerned.

"There are some good news and some other not some good that we wanted to share" he explained as Brooke rested her head in his chest

"_Do you really think it is okay to just say it, Julls? To just drop the bomb and ask me to wait until you arrive? I am too old for this. Four kids and all"_ his sister then knew for sure that there was no sex for her and Dy.

"It is just some unexpected news that I won't tell you over the phone. That's personal and life changing but we are okay. We will be okay. I just want to do this in person and as the three of us just live across the country I really need to do all this circus about it. I guess you would have a heart attack if we just appear there tomorrow" he pondered and listened to her sigh.

"_Okay. Should I wait your breakfast, lunch, dinner?"_ she already thinking about the agenda of her day.

"We'll be there by 2 in the afternoon I guess. Can you wait for us at the airport?"

"_Sure. I'll call the hospital and call in sick. The things you make me do, Julls"_

"Love ya, Lizzy, talk to you tomorrow"

"_Love, Ully"_ she bided her brother.

"Are you ready for this?" Brooke asked quietly. It would bring a lot of changes to their lives and she didn't want to be a burden to him and let alone him to resent her in the future.

"I honestly believe one can't ever be totally ready for this but I am absolutely ready to do my best" he confessed kissing her hair while she still rested in his chest.

"I am afraid" she confessed and her small voice confirmed him how it really hit her.

"You are the strongest and most amazing woman I ever met Brooklyn. If there is someone capable to do it, it is you. I will be by your side every step of the way. I've told you before all of this happened and what happened didn't change it. Actually made it even truer" he reassured his overly insecure girlfriend.

"I don't know if it was part of your plans, you know? I don't want to force you into anything. I just want you to do what you had already planned or at least considered to do before all this happened" she showed her vulnerability to him but also her love. No matter how much she needed him by her side now, she also wanted was best for him, even if it wasn't the best for her.

"Honey, I love you, I want to spend the rest of my life with you. To be honest I don't know if I am ready to move in with you. This is what I wanted in a long time, ever since I found out I love you all I wanted was to be by your side the whole day. I wanted to sleep in the same bed, to share the cabinet in the bathroom, to go together to work even if eventually we head to different places. I always wanted to marry you Brooklyn and moving in together is a step in the right direction. I want to be by your side through all the stages of this, okay? I don't want to miss anything. This is the best thing that happened to me" he touched and then kissed the gift she had given to him.

"What if it breaks us apart?"

"It won't. Now when are you planning to break the news to Naley. I bet Haley is very anxious to know about the results" he changed the subject. He didn't want her to focus in the bad side of things and they definitely had bad things to look at. He wanted her to look to the good side. The amazing news they got with the bad news.

"I always dreamed of having many kids, you know. I wanted a big family just like Isabella's and yours. I was an only child and I see what you have with Lizzy and Nat and also the kids and I wanted my own kids to have it" she revealed one more of the ghosts that were hunting her mind now.

"And can you give me a reason why wouldn't you have?" he lifted her chin to look at him and the glossed eyes that stared at him almost made him choke but he didn't he needed to be strong to her.

"I am not an expert on medicine but I guess chemotherapy ends the remaining chances of getting pregnant"

"Brooke. We are going to the doctor tomorrow morning and next week to the oncologist. Let's not think too ahead. Everything will be fine and we will get a big and beautiful family, just like Isabella's" he tried once again to keep her positive as he rubbed her flat stomach. He needed to keep her positive to distract his mind of all the negative possibilities that might happen to them in the following months.

"I love you, you know that?" and the tears that had threatened to fall all while their conversation finally spilled from her greenish eyes.

"I love you too and if this whole family doesn't come from here, it is okay to me but we don't need to have this conversation now, okay?" he brushed her belly once again and moved his hands to her waist, hugging her tight while she nodded and cried in his chest.

* * *

"So did you have a nice trip?" Isabella asked to the couple as soon she broke her embrace on them. She had been waiting in the airport for the past fifteen minutes and she was growing anxious about what they had to announce.

"Yeah" they both answered and she could see by Brooke's read and puff eyes that they might not have good news. Julian also had a tired expression but she also detected a shine in his eyes that was totally different. Looking back at Brooke she realized that the brunette also seemed to have something shining in her eyes. Maybe it was because they were moving in together thought Nathalie couldn't say the reasons why Julian had suddenly decided to share a house with Brooke. Looking at them then Isabella couldn't think that something good was what got them together.

"I've got the day off in the hospital but the kids had to go to school especially because I didn't know what sort of subject we are discussing here. Except that you are moving in together. Congratulations!!!" Isabella tried not to push the couple walking by her side but she also wanted something good to talk about.

"I knew I couldn't trust Nathalie" Julian smiled quietly. Actually their night had been very hard. They should have been celebrating the news of the new life they were about to begin but Brooke as usual seemed to be more affected by the bad news instead of the good news.

"By the way, let me see this, I guess it wasn't there the other times you have been here" Isabella looked to Brooke's gift and then up to Julian that held a smile in his face. The odd thing is that he held a smile all the time, even when the black circles around their eyes showed that they didn't have a good night of sleep. It seemed like Thanksgiving changed more than they imagined in their relationship and it was destined to be always bittersweet. Never one way or the other but always having the two feelings of happiness and sadness mixed.

"It is beautiful. You did a great job" Isabella softly offered.

"It really is" Brooke looked at him as well "It definitely made me love him more"

"Not as much as yours, Honey, I really thought I couldn't love you more but I guess I was wrong" he leaned down and pecked her in the lips as they reached the car.

"Really and where is it?" Isabella asked curious.

"I guess we will need to wait for Nathalie to arrive to break this news" Julian told his sister and strangely enough he wasn't teasing her. His voice was serious but his eyes shined more than ever. Isabella definitely thought they were crazy but that they indeed had something big to share.

He stepped in the backseat of the car and all while the short ride to Isabella's house he kept Brooke close to his body. They was a mix of comfort and happiness that was hard for Isabella to understand. Little did she know that it was even harder for them to figure how to feel. Those mixed feelings made their condition surreal and they were yet to adapt to everything it implied especially because they didn't know for sure what the oncologist would say them, only what Dr. Nash had already shared.

Surprisingly enough when they arrived at Isabella's, Dylan was also there. Julian knew that he could always count on the man as if he was his own brother, blood on blood. The blond soon realized the same as Isabella as Julian's and Brooke's expressions were obvious.

"How are you feeling?" Julian asked to Brooke and he seemed a little too overprotective with his hand resting in her back and the other holding her hand.

"I am tired and weak" she confessed.

"Sit here, Baby, I am going to get your medicine" he surveyed her purse, getting three pills and walked to the kitchen to get her some water to help her gulp them. As soon as they left the doctor's office they stopped by the first drugstore they seen and got everything the physician prescribed to the fashion designer.

Brooke smiled weakly to the couple in front of her while Julian went to the kitchen. He was soon back and just as she took the pills her boyfriend immediately got her in his arms and excused himself from the living room. "She needs to rest and eat, could you get her some fruits, Lizzy?" he said as he headed upstairs to lay her down in his bed.

"Sure" was all Isabella told her brother and before she could understand the scene that just unfolded in front of them, Dylan beat her thoughts and said the clear crystal truth.

"She looks off" he suggested. Working in a hospital do many years, even if not as a doctor, taught him to identify when someone isn't on their best health condition.

"She definitely looks more than off" and it all made sense to Isabella. Brooke was sick and that was probably the reason behind the sudden decision to live together and why there was a mix of happiness and sorrow in their eyes.

_

* * *

AN: before you yell at me or cry (and maybe the latter is too late though I tried to keep this chapter as lighter and less tears inducing as possible because of the subject); before you jump to any conclusions (good or bad) I want to confess that I planned this chapter to be absolutely misleading in many ways. I like cliffhangers and almost all will be revealed next chapter. One of them will mostly be hanging for the rest of this fic :P You may even forget about it but it will always be a possibility to be revealed at any chapter :) Make your bets  
_

_The only subjects that I wanted to clear in this update were 1) he didn't propose and 2) she got both bad and good news about her delayed visit to the gynecologist. Remember that she didn't go there only to check if she had cancer. Another very important subject was to be discussed and evaluated :) Well we will find out what her issue was and how it developed throughout the years._

_Does she have cancer? Maybe, probably, likely. Absolutely confirmed? No………….. no or not yet? That's why she is going to a specialist._

_Thanks a lot to HaileyBOTH; cheerychris; Kayla; __Love me some Julian__; __NicoleDavis92x__; __Artemi__; Anais; __haleydavisbaker__ ; __xxAshley__; Syrine; __sb1218__ and __FriendlyGirl333__ for all the reviews and I'd like to thank especially to **kaos2405**. Your ideas were enlightening and I've got this new plot because of you (not the cancer itself but what I'll do after the cancer thing is revealed)._

_Oh and don't worry, I have a flashback for the gifts exchange and the visit Brooke paid to the doctor so you will know the kind of news they already know and surely the gifts._

_Talk to you soon,_

_Babi_


	33. Juker & Dimples: Brooke

**Lying Helpless in Her Arms**

**Chapter 32 - Brooke's  
**

* * *

Brooke had slept almost until when Nathalie finally arrived at the end of the day. The brunette was tired because she had had almost no sleep the past night and also because her condition caused tiredness too.

Julian had been with her all the time and Isabella and Dylan were really worried about her condition. Isabella was sure something was wrong with Brooke and when Dylan suggested pregnancy she was cautious about it. While pregnancy would explain Brooke's tiredness still she thought it didn't explain how Brooke looked. She looked paled and faint way too much for only a pregnancy. _Unless it is a problematic pregnancy_ the doctor thought the moment when her sister crossed the living room after the shower she took as soon as she arrived after the long trip.

"What?" Nathalie asked as she saw the expression Isabella held.

"Dy thinks Brooke might be pregnant…" she answered simply.

"And by the look in your face that would be bad because…?" Nat questioned.

"She seems worn down and trust me as much as pregnancy sometimes drains you, it is still not to that extent" she concluded.

"So what do you think?" Nathalie quizzed concerned.

"That she might be sick or something may be wrong with the baby. You didn't see them. They were both clearly happy about something but still they looked devastated somehow" Isabella sighed.

"I guess we won't have to wait to much longer" Dylan nodded towards the staircase where Julian was helping Brooke downstairs.

"Hey my loves" Nathalie ignored the comments that her sister had seeded in her head for a while and threw her arms around her brothers neck, kissing and hugging him and then doing the same to Brooke.

As soon as Nathalie broke the embrace with Brooke, the brunette felt really dizzy and if it wasn't for Julian that saw that coming she would probably be on the floor by then.

"I know you love me just as much, Sis but don't be so dramatic" Nat tried to cheer the girl she loved as her sister up but all she got was a faint smile.

"Okay Julian, now that we are all here, just spill it. I can't make it one more minute. Brooke clearly is sick or maybe something else and we just want this to end" Isabella demanded showing her anxiety and concern.

"Where should I start?" he turned to his girlfriend "The good or the bad news"

"Always the bad Big-bro" Nathalie already sat in the couch instructed as Julian helped Brooke to seat down too.

"We think… the doctors think… there is a possibility" he started but he couldn't bring himself to actually say those words. Ever since the day before when Brooke had shared the news with him and especially since their visit to the practice that morning Julian had tried to focus in the good news. He had tried to make Brooke look to the bright side of things. It wasn't too difficult for him to just be ecstatic about the good news they got. It was perfect and he couldn't be happier, if only the bad news weren't part of the package.

"I may have cancer" Brooke blurted as she saw that Julian couldn't actually say it.

* * *

"_Brooke, Julian" Dr. Nash greeted as the brunette couple made it to his office._

"_Doc" Julian answered stretching his hand and shaking the doctor's while Brooke only smiled and nodded her head. She could sense from the day before that Dr. Nash wasn't telling her the whole story as the first question he made after telling the results was Julian's whereabouts. She told that after what he had revealed over the phone she wanted to save herself some time before bringing Julian over with her._

_Being as good as Dr. Nash was his schedule was always impossible but this was the daughter of Victoria Davis, his friend for long time, and also Brooke seemed to be just a sweet and scared young woman that had maybe too much in her plate now. So the doctor actually decided to go to his office earlier in the next day just to receive the couple and share all the news he got when Brooke's exams came back._

"_Take a seat, please" the elder man offered as he sat and the young couple followed suit._

"_So I guess Brooke already shared the news with you, Julian" he started trying to talk about the great news they got._

"_Yes, doc, I am just wondering if that's all I should be thinking about now" Julian showed how hard that moment was for him. He didn't need to make any effort to be happy, he was happy. _

_The fertility issue that Brooke seemed to have was never really a fertility issue per say. It could bring complications in the future when she wanted to get pregnant. She had been diagnosed with endometriosis while a teenager and when the doctor mentioned problems to get pregnant, Brooke being Brooke and also being in the peak of her pain because of Lucas' betrayal ignored the words like 'may', 'might', 'chances' and 'treatment' and only focused on the likes of 'sterile', 'infertility', 'nearly impossible in some cases'._

_The birth control that the doctor prescribed back then would help her with pain, cramps and also to get her to have her period every month normally. And ever since then Brooke had took the pills and never had the courage to come back to doctor until that moment._

"_Congratulations" the doctor offered and Julian and Brooke forgot for a moment that another subject was yet to be talked. One that could simply throw that fertility news through the window as the cancer treatment could lead her to be sterile anyway._

"_Unfortunately that's not the only news I've got to share with you, as you may know as well" the doctor hated to interrupt such a tender moment as the young couple kept their lovingly gazes at each other and the moment the words left this mouth both brunettes seemed to break in front of him._

* * *

"What do you mean by may have? Medicine is very exact especially to such things as cancer. You either have it or you don't. There isn't anything in the between" Isabella was the first to voice something after the pregnant silent that took place for the past few minutes.

"It seems like the mammography I did wasn't enough to diagnose it and I made an ultrasound that revealed that I have some small lumps in my breast that may be cancer. They are too small and if it is cancer they must have just appeared. The doctor even said that if the biopsy shows it is indeed cancer that I was very lucky to have it diagnosed so early" as she broke the news the tears rolled down her face and Julian couldn't look at her in that moment. For the first time he was allowing himself to feel the impact of the news. His girlfriend, the woman of his life, the woman that he had been dreaming to propose and to make his wife probably had cancer. According to the doctor there were seventy-five percent of chances to the solid tiny cysts to indeed be cancer and when they got the biopsy results in the following week they would know for sure.

"Well, I am so sorry Brooke if I sound insensitive, cold or even mean but it is not really bad news, Honey" Isabella moved from her place and crouching in front of the couple she reached for one hand of each "Surely, cancer is horrible and I'd wish you wouldn't have it but if you have it and let's hope you don't, these seem to be very small and you won't have major problems because of this. Maybe you don't even need the surgery; chemotherapy could make it for you"

"You don't understand" Julian whispered as he looked to his sister quickly breaking the small contact just after it started, while he squeezed her hand.

"I am not talking as family here, Julls, I am talking as a doctor. Brooke is very lucky to have had this mammogram now. I don't have the scans but for my experience and what you are describing chances are near to one hundred percent of a smooth recovery" she reasoned

"My grandmother died of this, Lizzy and my mother had to mutilate her body ever since she had me. She removed one of her breasts, her ovaries and her uterus which almost killed her a couple of years ago" Brooke explained and Isabella felt the grip of the brunette in her hand to loosen. Brooke was trying to run but the older woman wouldn't let her.

"I am sorry, Brooke and it sucks that your family has such a horrible tracking with this disease but you are not your mother, Honey and you are not your grandmother. You just told me that the cysts could barely be diagnosed. You won't die of this, you won't have to face a horrible battle against cancer. Trust me, I am not trying to just calm you down, I am telling you the truth, didn't your doctor told you that?" the older brunette asked surprised by the pessimist reaction the couple seemed to have. She understood that being diagnosed with cancer is always devastating but at least they had something very positive to look forward.

"Actually he did and then added a big but in the end" her tears intensified as she prepared herself to share the rest of the news. It was odd that the worst part of it all had actually been easier then the best part. But she felt guilty and she almost resented it but at the same time it was so good, it was so perfect and she didn't want to feel any other way but blessed.

"She is…" Julian felt like this part he could actually say.

* * *

"_Your condition, even if the cancer is confirmed is quite a positive scenario for a successful and nearly not traumatizing treatment. I've never seen a cancer in such an early stage and it will give you a great chance of a full recover with very little intervention" he explained carefully to ensure the two young adults in front of him would understand that her case was very easy to be treated, if it wasn't for a small detail. Really small at the moment actually._

"_So what's the problem doc?" Julian blurted "Don't take me bad here but you really scared my girl yesterday about discussing how cancer treatments could affect her condition"_

"_I understand your frustration, Julian. That's exactly the problem, in her condition her treatment can be limited and if the cancer is indeed confirmed we will have to study the best treatment to do not cause her infertility issues in the future as Brooke had assured me she doesn't want to risk her chances of having a big family by her own. Unfortunately the best treatments for cancer that won't affect her chances to get pregnant in the future might cause problems now because she is already…"_

* * *

"…pregnant" Julian concluded as he saw that his girlfriend couldn't actually say the word.

"You've got be kidding me" Nathalie hissed to no one actually as she stood up and started to pace in the living room. The young blond couldn't take it. Brooke and Julian had everything to be the happiest people in the world and time after time something stupid and huge came into their way. She was sick of what life was doing to them.

"How am I supposed to choose between my life, my baby's life and all the other babies I want to have?" Brooke broke down as she started to sob.

The moment theother occupants of the room heard Brooke's words each one of them broke in their own way. Nathalie had to seat down again and burying her head in her hands she saw from the corner of her eyes when Dylan stood up and walked up to Julian.

"Ully" he used the nickname the family had recently given to Julian. "Look here, man" he completed as the dark haired man kept his head down but then obeyed to his brother-in-law demand.

"You are going to be a great dad. You always tell me that I am doing a great job with the boys and Julia but man I wasn't half good as you are when they were born. You are a natural, parenthood is what you were made for and I am sure that God gave you this gift for a reason. Brooke seems to be just as natural but as I can't really say it about her" he paused and looked to Brooke for a moment, who like everybody else in the room except for Nat, was looking to the talking man "yet" he nodded to the pregnant woman "but I will say it about you. I am sure if all men in the world suddenly became sterile and only one man would be granted the chance to be a father, that would be you Ully. I am sure this tiny, tiny baby that you and Brooke have now will only be the first of a beautiful, big and blessed offspring" he finished his speech and Julian was then crying really hard.

Dylan stretched his hand for Julian to seal what he had just said and the moment the raven-haired man hit the blonde's, the latter pulled his brother-in-law, leading the uncle of his kids to stand up and wasting no time he hugged the broken man that he loved as if his own brother. He patted Julian's back firmly. "Congratulations, man, you are going to be a daddy"

"Thanks, Dy" a still crying hard Julian answered. Right then he couldn't say if the majority of his tears were because he was happy for the baby or sad by her potential disease but he couldn't hold the tears back anyway.

"Dy is right, Brooke. Julls was born to have kids and I am under the impression that you are just as gifted. If you want to have ten kids, you'll have ten kids, I am sure this won't stop you from making your dreams come true"

"Thanks guys, I hope everything works fine and that I've got nothing in me but a beautiful growing baby but what if there is something else…" her voice cracked and she couldn't say another word. It was overwhelming to only think about the possibilities.

"This isn't fair" Nathalie stormed off the living room going upstairs. The younger link of the Norris family couldn't handle that situation anymore.

"This is not my specialization but if you need me, if you want to be around Brooke, I have my share of tumors in general surgery and if you want to move down here in the case that any treatment is needed, there will be always place for you in this house" the elder sister suggested.

"Thanks" Brooke whispered but her mind didn't drift away of the torturing choice she may need to do in a few days.

"I guess you should rest now. It has been some stressing hours and it is never good for the baby" Isabella suggested in her better motherly tone.

"She is right, Dimples, let's rest and let all the thoughts and decisions for next week. This weekend we should be celebrating our pregnancy" Julian's voice was weak and low.

Brooke only nodded as he helped her going upstairs. She knew for sure that her strength hadn't been drained by the pregnancy or her awareness of the baby in her tomb. It was the constant thinking; it was the constant threat and the constant force that seemed to pull her down every time she was happy or had something good happening in her life.

She remembered of many dark moments in her life as a child, a teenager and a woman but nothing compared to what she was going through then. She had her greatest dream coming true, she was finally getting a family with the most wonderful man in the whole world but at the same time this perfect fairytale could be destroyed and for that she wasn't ready.

After being tortured by the decision she potentially had to make in a few days, she also thought about the consequences of any of those decisions. She was sure she wouldn't survive if she lost the baby she was carrying. She wouldn't survive doing it to Julian. He was so excited about the baby. She could see in his eyes in the moment that he opened the little white box that his life had come down to that very moment when he would start his own family. She already hated herself – and the world for that matter – because she maybe she would have to end his happiness even before it totally started.

"I am going to check on Nat" she informed as they reached the top of the staircase.

"Lizzy is right Brooke, you should get some rest. It is important for you and for the baby" he protectively suggested but she didn't budge.

"Please Julian, let me try to focus on something else that isn't this mean dilemma, okay? I am worried about Nat. She took the news pretty bad and I guess it will be good to try to help someone and do not think about this mess, just for some minutes" she pleaded to the man she loved.

"But you will end up talking about all this mess anyway" he muttered brushing her hair.

"Julian, just let me go, I'll meet you in the room in a few, okay?" her voice softened and he couldn't say no to her, especially when she was asking something so simple and seemed so desperate to have it.

"Nattie?" Brooke called out quietly as she entered the blond's bedroom.

"Brooke?" Nathalie asked looking up from the pillow where her head had been buried while she cried her eyes off.

"Yes, Hun, it is me, can we talk?" Brooke suggested sweetly.

"Sure" Nathalie wiped the tears that were still rolling from her red and big blue eyes.

"I am sorry" Brooke offered with a tight smile.

"Why? What?" Nathalie sniffled while she tried to understand Brooke.

"I am sorry for dropping such a bomb and to bring you guys down to other heartbreak. It seems like you had your share of them ever since I came here" Brooke offered with glossed eyes of her own tears. She felt like she cursed the apparently so happy family.

"Dear, this is definitely not your fault. It is quite the opposite you and Jully don't deserve any of this. It is not fair and it seems like a wicked and sick joke that someone is trying here" the blond explained reaching for the brunette's hand.

"Yeah, it feels like that but I don't want you, Lizzy and Dylan to be in pain because of this. Julian and I will do our best to take the right decision, we just thought that we should let you know about everything but I never wanted it to be a burden to you" Brooke tried to think about what Nat was going through instead of thinking about she and Julian had to face in the short future ahead of them.

"It is not your fault. You're the victim and quite honestly the angel here, Brooke. I am sorry for the way I reacted it is just I can't handle these messed up and emotional situations, you know? I was never good at this. When I was a child I used to listen to my dad trashing Jully. He used to say the most horrible things ever since he was a little boy and I remember as if it was yesterday how Julian stood there, looking so small, hugging his tiny frame and with his eyes shimmering tears while that monster uttered those horrible words to a child! I don't know what kind of sick person dad is but what he did to Julian was too much and as I got older I realized that I couldn't handle that. It made me literally sick sometimes and as soon as I was able to understand things better I had this plan in my mind. I tried to get my parents attention, for better and for worse. I become the trouble maker because I could take their venom, I could take their hatred words but I couldn't take Jully being hurt by listening those words and being eaten by them. So I become the problematic girl that drove them crazy and they stopped to focus so much on Julian because they had their hands full with me. I couldn't see my big brother being emotionally destroyed by them so I decide to take his place. That's why I never fell in love, I never let anyone in. I don't know how to deal with bad news; I don't know what to do when the people I love are breaking down around me. I know what I did was inappropriate and that you and Julian are going through hell but it sickens me to know that such good people like you and him will have to deal with it. It is not fair and you don't deserve it" as the blond started to open her heart, she also started to sob again and soon found Brooke's arms involved around her.

Brooke also cried hard because of the young woman words as she had never seen such a big love like the one Nat had to her family. She couldn't imagine how a child could make the decision to be hurt in the place of her brother, to take the pain to her because it hurt more to see her brother hurt than to be hurt by their apparent heartless parents. That had been the first mention of their parents that Brooke ever heard from anyone and she could see why everyone avoided their old guys and never talked about them. How could they torture emotionally such a sweet boy like Julian? Nathalie was just a little over a year younger than Julian and even though she hadn't mentioned dates Brooke could only imagine the small kids being treated so poorly by their parents.

"Thank you" Brooke whispered as the two of them seemed to have calmed or at least ran out of tears.

"For what?" Nathalie asked while she felt herself comforted in the arms of her almost sister.

"For protecting him. I wish there was someone there to protect you too" the brunette's voice cracked at the image of such a hurt child.

"Iz and Jully really protected me. I guess I am just emotionally challenged" she tried to smile but her lips never really curved properly.

"You are anything but emotionally challenged. If anything I guess I never met someone so caring, sensitive and loving like you. I just wish you didn't have to sacrifice your own happiness and emotions because of them. I did it for a long time in my life and I know how afraid you feel of having your heart shattered into a million of pieces but in the end it is worth. In the end Julian and I will have a beautiful family, one way or the other and you are going to open your heart and have someone to love you and for you to love back in an even more intense way than Julian and I because if it wasn't for you maybe he wouldn't be the great guy he is"

"Seriously, when you say more intense you really don't mean all this intensity, do you? Because honestly Sis, as much as I can try to open my heart someday I am really not ready to be Juke two point zero" Nathalie waved her hands while she spoke lightheartedly and Brooke laughed lightly for the first time.

"I guess that's not something I should wish to my baby sister, is it?"

"Baby sister? If I remember correctly I am older than you, Missy" Nat suggested and they seemed to have finally cooled down.

* * *

After talking a few more minutes to Nathalie, Brooke headed to her bedroom.

"Take some rest, the kids will be here soon and I am sure they will be very happy to see their Auntie Brooke here" Julian suggested from the bed with his hair wet and only a towel wrapped around his waist. He had decided to take a shower and tried to wash away some of the feelings and thoughts he had running through his mind at that moment. While the shower helped with his muscles it did nothing to his head. He still couldn't stop thinking about the things Brooke had said to them.

"I am going to take a shower too" she told him.

"The bathtub is ready waiting for you, come here" he stood up and offered her his hand leading their way outside the bedroom.

He joined her and they stayed there for what seemed hours. They didn't say many things except how they loved each other. Brooke also made some comments about how Julian would never know to which extent Nathalie loved them though she didn't know that Julian had been aware of the sacrifices his younger sister had made for him.

Listening to the noise coming from downstairs they knew the kids were already there and talking briefly about it they decided that they wouldn't let them know about her pregnancy and that they had hoped that Isabella and Dylan had come to the same conclusion as they hadn't really talked about they would say to the little ones.

Dinner was soon ready and the kids were really happy to see the whole family reunited again. The adults had told them that their uncle and aunts had a break in their works and decided to make them a surprise. To say the children were excited was an understatement. While it was refreshing to have they around, Brooke and Julian, along with the other three adults, also couldn't be their usual selves and they just hoped the kids hadn't really realized how heavy the atmosphere in their house was.

Feeling like they had no more energy in their tanks, Julian and Brooke tugged the kids just like they used to do and headed to their bedroom, quickly bidding goodnight to the grownups. Brooke was already laid down while Julian looked for his pajamas in their suitcase. He was sure he had packed it but he couldn't find it. It still surprised him that Brooke had got a huge bag when they were leaving on Sunday night. Maybe she hadn't really realized how many clothes she had got them for only a three-day stay and probably made it out of habit.

Still looking for his sleeping attire he found the little white box. He didn't remember putting it there. It had probably been Brooke's making and he had realized that he really hadn't enjoyed his present so far but that was about to end. He wore the little pieces of knit in his fingers and joining his girlfriend in the bed he pulled up her shirt revealing her still flat stomach. Using his fingers as little legs he let them travel around her perfect and toned belly.

"We can't wait to have you here with us" he talked to their unborn baby as he caressed it with his dressed up fingers.

"We will be happy, Baby, I promise you we will be a big and happy family" Julian turned to Brooke who had her eyes shimmered with tears. "By the way, this is Daddy speaking and he just wants you to know what he already loves you more than anything in the world. Well, he loves Mommy just as much. That's it" he looked up to Brooke who had a genuine smile in her face and was touched by the way Julian talked to their baby.

"This is Mommy, Little Bug and she wants you to know that she loves you as much as Daddy and that we will always will" she moved her hands from her stomach and intertwined her fingers with Julian's as she finished talking.

* * *

"_So…" she started anxiously staring the box in his hands. It was a velvet black box that caused her to have knots in her stomach. Was he going to propose?_

"_Sure" he told her as he handed her the box and she carefully opened it. As she did so she was sure it wasn't an engagement ring otherwise he wouldn't hand it for her to open but would have opened it by himself and maybe even got on one knee._

"_Oh my God!" was all she could say._

"_I thought I would give you something to show how in this I am" he shyly explained as she looked up to him with tears in her eyes._

"_I know I am not really Irish and neither are you but I read about this ring in one of the many scripts I receive and I thought it had a beautiful meaning and when I thought about what I would give you as Christmas gift this was the first thing in my head" he told her as he rolled the ring in her finger. It was a Claddagh ring in eighteen karat gold. As usual, it was heart, held by two hands, with a crowd on top of it. In the crowd it had two sparkling Rubi while the heart was a diamond. There were also small diamonds by the hand's wrists and Brooke swore she had never seen something so beautiful but when he explained her the meaning of those symbols her heart melted even more.  
_

"_The Claddagh ring is an Irish token of love. The heart represents love, the hands friendship and crowd loyalty and that's what I have to offer to you. I wanted the gems to be red because that's definitely your color and because it fits the representation of my own heart and love that I am giving now to you. I know only proposals are supposed to come with a speech and now that I've got you already crying and loving me even more I guess I set the bar really high to the next speech I'll give you when I roll the next ring in your finger but I guess this was a good rehearsal" he told and then kissed her hand, like he used to, giving the ring a peck before breaking the contact of his lips in her skin._

_"I love you" was all she could utter at that moment. To say Brooke was touched was an understatement. Not only because of his gift but also because of the one she was about to give him. Recovering the best she could from the emotional moment and preparing herself to an even more emotional she handed him the white little box. It was curious to see how two such small packages held two things so big for them._

_He shook the little box, that was incredibly light but the muffled sound didn't give him any hint. She looked at him nervously as he slowly removed the ribbon. They looked at each other one more time. He had a silly and curious smile while she held a jitter expression. He moved his gaze back to the box that he was about to open while she kept hers on his._

_The moment the contents of the little box were revealed Julian gasped for air. Did he take the right message? It couldn't be real. But what else could the pair of plain white handmade crochet booties shoes mean? It was so tiny and so white and perfect._

"_Is that what I think it is?" he looked up from the two small objects to the woman he loved so much and with who he planned to spend the rest of his life. She only nodded as a tear fell. Seeing the woman he had just told all those things crying also led him to tears and he just threw his arms around her. They were going to be parents and in that moment he only wished that he had actually had the balls to buy the engagement ring instead of the Claddagh one just like he had been tempted to do while he was in the jewelry store._

"_What did the doctor say, did you schedule another appointment?" he finally voiced something._

"_Yes, for tomorrow morning" she sniffled offering him a small smile._

"_I can't believe this" he leaned down his face resting his forehead in hers._

"_Neither do I, Baby, neither do I" she smiled, cried and kissed him all together. His love was always reassuring and everything that came with it was a blessing. And that blessing was now going to be materialized into the small human being she was carrying. The tiny human being their love created.

* * *

_

_AN: Maybe I should have warned you in the last update that this one was going to be a bit emotional, so you could have prepared yourselves._

_Well I really got a new inspiration to this fiction and everything is already made up in my head. This one time I won't ask you what you want and I just hope that you will enjoy what I have in mind. I already decided if she is sick or not, how this pregnancy will develop, if it will have to be interrupted and the sex of the baby._

_I also hope you liked the gifts exchange - I always try to make the gifts meaningful when I write them in my fics. I was really touched by the conversation Brooke and Nat had and also by Dylan's speech. Both were last minute additions and I think it really fit well the story. It gives a background to why Nathalie is so alike Brooke - always avoiding getting emotionally involved; it shows Brooke a bit of how Julian's parents treated him (remember that they never got a convo about it) and well, I really want to Julian to have a guy and not only girls by his side and Dy will be this guy here._

_Other than this I want to thank to HaleyBOTH (you will have to wait just a bit for another steamy scene); Kayla; Sophie; sb1218; SouthernBellBrooke; Artemi; Syrine; kaos2405; cheerychris; FriendlyGirl333; haleydavisbaker; undiscoveredwriter and xxAshley._

_As I got this chapter written earlier I updated earlier but unfortunately it doesn't mean another update this week - I guess, so no promises._

_Talk to you soon._

_Babi_


	34. Juker & Dimples: Baby

**Lying Helpless in Her Arms**

**Chapter 33 - Baby

* * *

**

The weekend in Wilmington was everything Brooke and Julian needed to recharge their batteries and face their battles back in New York. While at first seeing the kids led the soon-to-be parents to hurt upon the prospect of something going wrong with her pregnancy it also gave them strength and faith to try their best. It was so rewarding to be surrounded by kids. The kids were so good to their family. Dylan and Isabella were certainly making a great job with them and that was a motivation to the pregnant couple.

Although they had been haunted by the thoughts of everything that could go wrong they started to enjoy her pregnancy. They spent a lot of time talking to their baby and they were excited about the first sonogram that they would have later that week. Brooke had a chance to do it when she first had seen the doctor by the Thursday but she didn't want to do it without Julian by her side. At the Friday morning when they went together to the doctor's practice he actually didn't have time to do it properly so they had scheduled a meeting by the end of the following week.

They had decided to deal with their current and absolutely confirmed news at each moment and the only thing they were sure was of her pregnancy and how they were happy to be moving in together when they got to New York.

But in the meanwhile they also got a couple of bad-already-confirmed news. Julian was being pressured by the studio to speed up the movie's production as he had gave so many days off between the holidays and the complications with Brooke's health. They were a few days behind the original schedule and it was causing him a lot of unpleasant calls from the studio.

As Victoria had traveled to Europe to spend the holidays she had only found out the news of her daughter's relationship with Julian when they traveled to Wilmington. Brooke made the mistake to pick up her phone without checking the ID properly and got a lecture for over an hour. Her mother numbered many supposed reasons why Brooke shouldn't be dating Julian and all the trouble Brooke had caused to her and the PR department to cover the already deceived stories circulating on internet accusing Brooke of sleeping with the 'boss'.

Brooke was still to talk to Haley about the pregnancy though her friend had called her a few times worried that she didn't updated her about her condition. The brunette told her that the final results would only be ready by Monday at the end of the day and that she would let her know about it as soon as possible.

* * *

"Are you sure you don't want me to stay with you the whole day?" Julian told her as they had breakfast.

"They are already pissed off Julls and we have to keep our lives going. I also have a lot of work to do with the costumes and also the new collection. I am just two months away from both shows and I am yet to have all the sketches done" she reasoned to her boyfriend.

"I don't want you to overload yourself with work. You know stress and tiredness is never good for you nor the baby" he reached for her hand caressing it softly.

"I am not overloading myself Baby, don't worry. Actually sketching is like therapy and not tiring at all and I've got some ideas to both collections so I really want to start drawing" she played with his fingers as they kept tender gazes to each other.

"Why don't you come to the studio and do it from my office? I am not sure I can go the whole day without seeing you" he suggested as he stood up and walked up to her side of the table, never letting go of her hand.

"That sounds tempting but I am not sure if I will resist checking out the hot producer of the movie" she smiled sweetly and thought the comment was supposed to be sexy they didn't have – neither mind – to think about having sex before heading to work.

Julian took her by the waist and lifting her he made room to himself in the chair and placed her in his lap, quickly moving both of his hands to under her shirt and resting them on her stomach.

"You know you are making me the happiest man in the whole world, don't you?" he kissed cheek as his hands pressured softly her belly.

"That's only fair as you made me the happiest woman ever. I found my way back to my dreams and the consummation of them when I met you" she brushed the side of his face with the back of her fingers.

"Everything will be okay" he reassured her once again, just like he had done throughout the whole weekend.

"I've got a good feeling today" she admitted smiling softly.

"That's because we are getting good news today" he kissed her slowly and deeply. They hadn't share further intimate moments ever since the night they exchanged their Christmas gift. First their heads were in something else and latter she was just exhausted of playing with the kids all day. She could clearly realize how her energy tank was considerably smaller during the pregnancy.

"Well we should better head there now, let me get my things" she told him as she moved to stand up but he increased his grip on her not allowing her to do so.

"You wait here, I'll take it for you" he moved himself from the chair and stood up.

"You know I am not invalid, right?" she teased.

"I never said you couldn't take it by yourself, I am just practicing my spoiling skills with the two people I will spoil rotten for the rest of my life" he said with an easy and childish grin in his face and then leaned down to peck her in the lips again.

"I guess I like it" she smiled in his lips moving her hand to the back of his neck prolonging the kiss.

* * *

As the day progressed their mood worsened remarkably. They tried to keep the light banter they started back when they were in Wilmington but as the five pm appointment approached they grew anxious, worried and distressed. Julian had asked Bianca to keep an eye at Brooke as he shot the scenes. They were supposed to shoot some external scenes but he postponed them to the end of the week. He wanted Brooke to be around the whole day. Actually he wanted her to be around twenty-four-seven for the rest of his life. He couldn't explain this need but he just needed to have her close.

Bianca did as she was said and she could see that Brooke wasn't okay. Julian told her that if something happened to Brooke or if she realized that Brooke wasn't feeling well to let him know immediately. Bianca thought it was odd because Brooke seemed to be okay as he started shooting mid-way in the morning but as she looked to Brooke working on her computer while the afternoon advanced she could see that the brunette was indeed off.

"Are you feeling okay?" she asked after staring at Brooke for almost twenty minutes.

Brooke was startled by the sudden conversation. She was trying to focus the most she could in the drawings she was working at so she wouldn't remember of the thoughts that insisted to invade her mind.

"What?" Brooke asked as she really didn't understand what the blond said at first.

"You look pale and a bit panting" Bianca pointed out.

"It is just I am looking too much to this computer screen but I'll get some water and some fresh air for it to pass" Brooke smiled weakly and as she moved to stand up she felt dizzy and had to sit back.

"Come here. Now" the Beauty Team member demanded on her walk-talk.

Before Brooke could actually question and understand what had just happened, Julian was storming off into his office.

"What happened?" he gasped walking towards Brooke.

"That was fast" Bianca commented.

"I was just coming to check on her" he turned to the girl he had known for so many years..

"It is nothing, I am just dizzy because I had been looking to this screen for so long but I am fine Baby, no need to patrol me" she looked at Bianca who just looked down to her lap. She knew Brooke wouldn't be pleased to know she had been babysat the whole day.

"It is almost time, why don't you go with Bianca to the cafeteria and get something to eat. Did you get your vitamins already?" he pecked her in the lips quickly and she could see how worried he was over something so insignificant. She thought it was cute and endearing.

"Yes, Baby, I've got it but I'll take your advice, I am really hungry" she agreed.

"Okay, I have to come back to wrap up the production of the day, I'll meet you there. Leave your stuff here, I want you to work from here every day and you are definitely not touching this" he took the sketchbook from his desk "and this" he grabbed the computer, taking both objects to the safe by the corner of his office, locking them inside.

"Hey, I don't know if I saved that. I've worked on that for the past two hours" she protested.

"I pressed control-S before closing it, now I've got go. See you in an hour" he kissed her forehead. "Don't worry, everything will be fine" he whispered while he kept their faces really close almost touching "Love you" he pecked her in the lips and then walked away, thanking Bianca once again.

"How cute was that?" Bianca chuckled as Brooke looked tenderly to the door her boyfriend had just crossed.

"Perfect, he is perfect" Brooke muttered still with her eyes locked at the swinging door.

"Shall we eat now? I am really hungry" the blond suggested preferring not to question or mention Brooke's odd dizziness and Julian even shaper overprotection.

* * *

The make-up artist made company to Brooke as Julian requested. Being the leader of the team it meant that Bianca was only responsible creatively for the movie make-up not necessarily for the execution which at the moment was very simply. Kate and the other actors were shooting the scenes that took place in Juliet's company and although the main character and her team had to look flawless as any head of a famous designer company would, it is still simple.

Bianca would have her hands full with the fashion show – which she was now talking to Brooke about – as the models make-up is always something different and that she would definitely love to do. In the meanwhile she didn't mind being Brooke's babysitter as Julian kindly asked because she had a great time with the brunette fashionista.

"For someone that is really hungry you eat very little" the blond pointed out seeing how Brooke had barely touched her food.

"I have a doctor appointment at five and it's not only your routine visit actually it could be really nasty so I feel hungry but at the same time I feel like I can't have anything in my stomach without throwing it up" Brooke explained moving her hand protectively to her belly. While the make-up artist could think that the movement was caused by a possible stomach issue, Brooke was actually thinking about the growing baby inside of her. She needed to eat and she was taking more vitamins than her doctor prescribed because she knew she had been eating pretty badly lately, despite all Julian's efforts and lectures.

"I know this is none of my business and if you don't want to answer just don't, but are you okay?" Bianca asked as Brooke ignited her curiosity by mentioning the visit to a doctor and a possibility of bad news.

"That's what I am going to find out in a couple of hours" her smile was weak.

"I hope you are okay. First because you seem like a lovely person and good people don't deserve to be sick but mainly because of Julian" the short woman shared her feelings.

"Why is that?" Brooke made the obvious question. Surely she knew her disease would hurt Julian but she was also curious to know what Bianca would share this time. What she really loved about talking to the make-up girl was how she unconsciously always revealed a little bit more of the Julian Brooke didn't know yet or the Julian he used to be before her.

"He is head over heels, Brooke and I don't mean it only because of those juvenile feelings he doesn't even try to hide. I've known that boy for many years and I know what he feels for you is strong. I've only seen Julian behaving like this towards his family in North Carolina and Nat. I am sure if something happened to you he would be broken maybe beyond repair" the older woman explained and Brooke sighed. She could only imagine if something went wrong.

"Julian never really faced any adversity related to the people he cares. Nathalie is always in a good mood and she locks her heart so well that she doesn't really have a chance to get hurt. Isabella's life and family are a fairytale and those are the only people Julian cares in world. He is such a baby, a newborn even when it comes to emotions and he cares a lot about you"

"But he had a bad time coping with his parents, didn't he? It probably had taught him something about dealing with unwelcoming feelings" Brooke mused. She knew too well that having bad parents didn't exactly prepare you to face other emotional issues that might come in the way. If anything made it worse.

"That man is heartless and his mother is a lost, dull, poor woman. He learned how to block those emotions very early but he never really face them otherwise how someone attractive, intelligent and sort of famous like Julian would have his first relationship being almost twenty-six?" Bianca posed and Brooke only nodded contemplating the words.

"He ran and hid of all emotions that weren't absolutely stable Brooke and the only stability he ever got was Nathalie and Isabella's family and fortunately they never had any serious problem. Isabella's life even looks surreal. She is with Dylan for fifteen years already though they had been sweethearts ever since third grade. Her kids are beautiful, healthy and smart. Her husband is a great guy. We even kid that Julian is Dylan 2.0. They even got the same careless parents though as far as know Dy's parents were never as bad as Paul. So yeah, I guess Julian had been living in his happy and perfect world ever since he moved away from the Norris house and that's why I really hope you are okay. He already has enough challenges with your relationship as it is because he is still on high school in the love department and I am sure you remember that your teenage relationships weren't what you could call ideal"

"Not really" Brooke agreed quietly.

"Surely, regardless of Julian I really hope you are okay for your own sake but if something is wrong, just be patient with him. He loves you and I don't need to actually listen to those words though I am sure all the crew already listened to them when he unsuccessfully tries to whisper them to you but ends up speaking almost as louder as the director" she smirked lightly at the mention of the times Julian showed his feelings to Brooke in the set. Brooke also laughed a bit, she loved when he walked over where she was, in the sidelines of where the scenes were shot, just to peck her in the lips and to say he loved her.

"Thanks for the bit of advice, Bianca, let's just hope everything works fine, so" Brooke ended the conversation as she saw he walking towards them.

"Hey, Honey" he kissed Brooke on the cheek "Thanks for taking care of my girl, B. I'll take it from here though you should feel welcomed to stay while I get myself something to eat"

"I'd love to, JB, but I guess I should check on my team and plan the work for tomorrow. Are we heading to the Hamptons?" she asked.

"Yes, I just shared the plans for tomorrow. We will spend the whole day in the Hamptons. We are going to shoot Juliet and Charlie's anniversary party and also scene 27 where they fight" he explained and she only nodded.

"Well so I guess I see you tomorrow. Good luck, Brooke" the blond offered a warm smile and walked away.

"Did you tell her?" Julian was curious especially because Brooke didn't let anyone but his family and Naley to know about what she was going through.

"Only that I had a doctor appointment"

"Okay. Well I am going to get a tuna sandwich, do you want anything else, what did you get?" he said as he read the menu he took from the table.

"I don't feel like eating, I took some extra pills to make up for it. I just want to know it, Julls, I can't stand the wait anymore" she confessed with a pleading voice.

"I know Baby, I know but we will have good news today, remember the feeling you've got this morning? You are never wrong, Honey" he let go of the paper in his hand and sat in the chair by her side, bringing her body to his and kissing her head softly.

"I really hope so" she sighed, closing her eyes at his touch.

* * *

The trip to the hospital was quiet and silent. He was driving her car and she was lost in her thoughts. Most of the time their fingers were intertwined and from time to time Julian squeezed her hand and offered a reassuring smile but both were anxious and afraid.

It didn't help that when they finally made it to the hospital the doctor was busy with an emergency and the nurse asked them to wait some minutes. Brooke looked up at Julian with her pleading eyes and he brought her to his chest kissing her hair. He hated to see her so fragile and vulnerable like that because he knew there was nothing he could do to make it better. Normally he liked to see her vulnerability because it offered him an opportunity do see the deeper and very well hidden layers of Brooke Davis but also because it gave him a chance to make things better to her. He felt so good when he helped her with her emotions or any other issues he had but in that moment there was nothing he could do.

He couldn't speed up the time and he couldn't change what was written in any envelope anywhere in the big hospital regardless of what those words said and he knew that the only thing that would comfort her was the results. They needed to know it. The wait was almost as bad as the cancer itself.

"Ms. Davis?" the nurse called about ten minutes after they arrived and they were thankful the wait was over. Or at least that's what they thought.

"Hi, Ms. Davis, I am doctor Martin" the middle age man stretched his hand as Brooke and Julian stood in front of his desk.

"This is my boyfriend, Julian Baker, and the father of my baby and please call me Brooke" Brooke introduced Julian who also shook the doctor's hand.

"Well Brooke I hate to do this for you but I don't have the results yet" the doctor explained as soon as the three sat.

"What?" her voice cracked and she immediately looked to Julian who only closed his eyes briefly. That nightmare was already torturing as it was. _What now,_ he thought.

"The first sample biopsy results were inconclusive. To be really honest with you I've never seen a cancer in such an early stage as this, if that's confirmed at all. While the cells weren't absolutely normal they weren't abnormal as cancer usually is. This is really unexpected but we always collect more than one sample to avoid submitting you to another sample collection" the doctor clarified and while he didn't have something to them it was good to know that until it was proved otherwise she didn't have cancer.

"And how long it will be until the other is ready?" Julian voiced their concern.

"As the technician never seen something like that he called me in the weekend and I checked the images when I was here on Saturday. I asked them to run the tests to other two samples that are supposed to be ready any time now"

"We'd like to wait. I honestly can't wait until tomorrow, doctor" Brooke said something for the first time since the doctor started talking.

"I don't have another appointment until six because I saved us time for me to explain everything just in the case the results are not bad"

"I want you to do it so" her voice was now steady.

"I can't explain it for you if I am not sure of your condition, Brooke" the doctor reasoned but she didn't care.

"As I see it, it could be only two things, I am either sick or I am not, so just talk me about both scenarios. You know I am pregnant. I am yet to do the sonogram to know how far along but I am at most nine weeks pregnant so I am sure you have something to tell about cancer treatments to women early in their pregnancy" Brooke's voice cracked a few times during her plead but she needed to really know.

When they first found out about the possibility, Brooke was too shock to think and then they were traveling to Wilmington. Her first impulse after the shock was to read everything she could on internet but Isabella had strongly advised her against it as only her results could determine what she really had. The possibilities even if it came out positive were too many for her to just try to find out what she would have to go through so she just waited until the doctor talked to her to have any sort of concrete information about it.

"I understand" the surgeon nodded his head slightly as he opened his drawer and took the first results, reading it carefully.

"You presented an abnormality quantity of circulating nucleic acid in your blood results. But as it is only an indicator that something may be wrong. It is not final" he told them and then read more of the information.

"Honestly Brooke" he discarded the folder over his table "First of all you are lucky to be here and I know it is ridiculous to try to associate words such as cancer and luck because lucky are those who will never have to face this horrible disease but as I look to your track I dare to use this word because you have chances of developing the same problems of your mother and grandmother in some stage of your life and the fact that you are pregnant and making those tests now may give you the chance to have the baby and also to treat the disease before it develops into a more advanced stage" he offered and Brooke and Julian nodded understanding what the doctor was saying.

"I know it is scary to think about cancer when you pregnant, actually to receive both news together must have been hard but I want you to know that if the disease is confirmed we have a lot of efficient treatments that won't affect your baby" he assured her.

"Yes, Dr. Nash mentioned it before but I don't want to have only this baby, Dr. Martin. I am an only child and until I met this girl at fourth grade I had a very lonely childhood especially because my parents' careers were demanding. Julian's and mine careers are very demanding too and I know that even if we don't make the same mistakes they did, it is still too lonely to be an only child. My priority is to have this one but I also want to have more kids in the future" she opened up her heart to the doctor that only nodded his head.

"Brooke that may not turn into a problem. It will reduce the treatments possibilities but if you are not allergic or have some strong reaction to any of them, everything will be just fine" he told her. "As early as this is almost everything is possible, I wouldn't worry about that"

"Really?" she teary asked.

"Yes, I guess the risk is not to diagnose the cancer now. As I told you there are indicators in your blood that something isn't quite right in your system and those abnormalities have nothing to do with your pregnancy but it doesn't mean it is cancer either. While it is great news if don't have cancer but it also means that we will have to monitor you throughout the whole pregnancy. If we know by now that something is wrong we decide for a treatment and do it and you would have greats chances to have a smooth recovery" the doctor did his best to convince her that a positive result wouldn't mean something horrible to her. He was positive that she had cancer but maybe the lumps were too recent to be shown in the first sample but he was sure it would be diagnosed in the second.

"What if she doesn't? Because we came here thinking the worse news would be cancer and now you seem to be trying to convince us that it is better to have cancer?" Julian challenged the doctor. It all made sense but it was sort of contradictory to the common sense.

"No, the best thing it is always to be healthy, Julian. What I meant is that there are indicators of cancer and if we don't find where the cancer the question will remain. The best thing is for everything to be clean but I already know that her blood labs are not totally clean so now it leaves us with two options: if it is cancer we start the most appropriate treatment and if it is not we will schedule monitoring exams for Brooke to do throughout the pregnancy because due to the hormones increase cancer develops faster in pregnant women than in non-pregnant women. But I also want to clarify that if the results are negative it doesn't mean she will develop cancer cells in the next weeks, months or years. Maybe Brooke will be lucky enough to go through life without ever having cancer. We have to always keep our minds and hearts in the best possible scenario. It avoids being neurotic, depressed and an immeasurable amount of energy wasted with things that won't ever be confirmed. That's what I want you to have in mind. Positive or negative. There are treatments and there are routine exams that will show us how Brooke's health is. And trust me, I am going to do my best to assure that you will have as many kids as you want after the treatment, _if_ any treatment is needed at all" he carefully and softly explained. As an oncologist he was used to deliver bad news to patients in a daily basis but it was always extra hard to deliver such news to pregnant women and parents because no child deserved to go through this and honestly neither the parents.

"Okay" she said above a whisper.

"Brooke your chances, your baby's and your future babies are great, so you don't have to worry about it. Even if today we get a negative result, you don't have to go throughout your whole pregnancy fearing what may happen, everything will work out, one way or the other" the doctor reassured her the moment his phone rang.

"Martin" he said and then immediately answered "Great, bring them here please" hanging up the phone and then turning to the couple in front of him "We've got the results"

* * *

_AN: Not in the same week but still close :) I had most of the ideas of this chapter outlined and the development of them was actually fast - now I may not be able to update so fast because I've got nothing but three ideas for the next chapter: the results are revealed; the sonogram and probably Brulian and Naley time._

_I have most ideas of what I will write from chapter 35 on so maybe it takes me a few days to write the next itself (34). Also I am too lazy now and I didn't review my writing before posting and trust me I make a lot of mistakes that get corrected while reading the chapters. So the version you get - which still has a lot of errors - always has less than the original one._

_If you think there are too many mistakes, please, leave me a review and I will read it and correct it later (I just wanted to post it today instead of tomorrow when I would probably be less lazy and do it properly). Speaking of it, I'd like to thank my dearest readers who reviewed last chapter: Kayla, Artemi, kaos2405, xxAshley, Sophie, leona (I hope you slept enough and still enjoyed the subsequent chapters), HaileyBOTH, cheerychris, haleydavisbaker and SouthernBellBrooke._

_Have a nice week!!!!_

_Babi_

_PS.: Not sure if anyone had checked by new story **Stockholm**. It is a different plot that I dreamed about (though the dream was totally different of what I am using at the story). The first chapters only showed how Julian and Brooke ended up in a jewelry story robbery but from now on it will be really focused in their interaction. All from seasons 1-4 will count but Brucas is together and Julian isn't a producer. If you think it might be interesting, give it a shot.  
_


	35. Juker & Dimples: Juke's

**Lying Helpless in Her Arms**

**Chapter 34 - Juke's**

* * *

Today was the day for Julian and Brooke. They were going to see their baby for the first time. The soon-to-be-parents were excited and touched by the prospect of listening its heartbeat. Their week involved a lot of emotions and like a rollercoaster with some up and downs but they were finally here. They were meeting officially the baby they created and they already loved it more than they could express.

"How are you feeling this morning?" he kissed her earlobe from behind as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Excited" she turned in his arms and kissed him passionately.

"About what?" his raspy voice challenged her.

"About the appointment we have in less than one hour and a half" she tilted her head to give him a better access to her neck.

"That's all making you excited right now?" he asked as he moved himself over her body and resuming the work of his lips on her neck, he then moved his hands to her breasts.

"Actually no…" she paused and slip her hand to his already hard erection she continued to tease "… this is" she stroked him. It was a good thing they were still naked from their last time before they felt asleep in each other's arms.

"You know what I love about this pregnancy?" she whispered as she watched his pleasuring face while she kept her ministrations on him.

"What?" he barely uttered.

"No morning sickness, no mood swings, no pain but especially this crazy, unstoppable and insane sex cravings" she bit his earlobe and intensified the work of her hands.

"I like it too" he moaned already controlling himself to hold his release. Brooke had a way with his body that if he didn't stopped himself he would always come in a couple of minutes after she touched him.

"So I guess you should keep me pregnant, you know? Make a lot of babies in me so I will always be insanely aroused…" she slowed her movements "…twenty-four by seven" she reached the same point she had reached in the first night they spent together. Julian couldn't even describe where she was moving her resourceful fingers. Every time she reached that point he lost any sanity and awareness. It was just an intense wave of pleasure like he never felt before. The best he could say was that she kept one hand in his member and the other somewhere below it.

"Brooklyn…" he moaned as his girlfriend caressed him so sensually nearly leading him to come.

"Yes, Baby" she sweetly answered.

"I love you, Honey, I love you" he gasped trying to concentrate on something other than the perfect work of her hands.

"I love you too, Julls" he moved one of her hands to his face and kissed him intensely while the other kept touching his most sensitive area.

It was slow and passionate. Julian slipped over her body and reached her mouth. He caressed her hair and deepened the kiss parting her lips with his tongue and sucking it hard. Brooke ran her fingers through his hair and moved her hand to his back. She played with her fingers in his back bringing shivers all over his body. He moved from her mouth to her neck and earlobe licking and sucking it gently. Brooke was wet and waves of pleasure consumed her body. He had a way to touch her that drove her crazy and made her body react beyond control. She couldn't explain, it was a heat and her flesh throbbed in a way that couldn't be any more pleasuring. She needed desperately to feel him inside of her. Julian moved his body down and kissed her breasts, then her belly and stopped on her bellybutton licking around it leading her to groan loudly.

He stopped in her belly alternating kisses and soft bits. While his mouth gave her pleasure he caressed her velvet skin. He slipped it slowly kissing her thighs then her legs finishing on her feet. He knelt on the bed and as she seen his even bigger erection she smiled and licked her lips.

"Do you want it?" he asked smiling back as he kept touching her bare skin.

She nodded and closed her eyes, his touch was too good for her to resist.

"Ask" he demanded.

"I want it Julian" she pleaded.

"You didn't convince me" he said bending on the bed and crawling over her.

"I want Julian, I want you, I want to feel you inside of me. I want you Julian, I want you now" her raspier voice made him lose control over his foreplay as his lips crashed on hers and he hungrily kissed her.

Brooke couldn't resist and her hands found the way back to his large member again. Her touch made him shudder in anticipation. Julian moved back to her belly and lowered his head down. He buried his head between her thighs and licked her center leading Brooke to moan loudly as he sucked her clit.

"I love your taste" he said straddling over her and kissing her soft skin.

"I love your touch" she said looking deep in his eyes.

He moved over her and slowly thrust his hard member in her folders. Brooke yelled of pleasure. He gently moved into her and closed his eyes feeling her tight walls pressuring him. Their joint was perfect and arousing. She wasn't too tight or too loosen. He wasn't too big nor too small. No, Julian and Brooke's bodies merged into one perfect piece of love and pleasure.

"You are so tight" he murmured as he kept the pace and lowered his head to suck her nipple. Brooke groaned and moaned continuously "Harder Julls… harder" she yelled. She couldn't control her sex drive lately. She was insatiable. She wanted more and more of his body and also harder. It was like a hunger that couldn't be feed. A beast that couldn't be calmed. She just wanted more and more of the man she loved so much and who made her feel things that she didn't even know existed. Brooke definitely had a lot of sex during her life but regardless of the love she felt for Julian ever since their first night he made her body react like it hadn't ever before. And then they fell in love and it became more intense.

"Easy, Honey… hold it" he said moving to her other nipple. Julian had realized how much her sexual hunger had changed over the past days. She was already a Vulcan but Brooke had become uncontrollable and he wouldn't complain. It was definitely the best sex of his life with the woman he loved so much and that carried his baby.

"I can't… I can't…" she groaned desperately "Faster, Baby, faster" she pleaded wanting him to speed up the pace.

"Yeah you can" he mused sliding up his body a little bit making his erection to push her clit.

"Ooohhh" she moaned "I can't hold Julian… I can't hold anymore" she yelled.

"Give me it, Dimples, give it all to me, Baby " he said raising his head from her breast over to her mouth and intensifying the pace. Brooke didn't resist and reached the orgasm crying out loud. He waited for her to recover the best her could and restarted his movements, keeping a slow pace.

"You are unstoppable, Honey" he chuckled kissing her lips softly.

"You are just too good, Baby. You are so damned good" she breathed out, gasping for air. "I want you more" she confessed and it really didn't surprise him entirely. It was the same way before they slept the past night. Which had been merely a few hours ago.

Julian lifted up her wrist and knelt on the bed. He grabbed her legs and placed them over each of his shoulders. Holding her waist he intensified hardly the pace. Both moaned and Julian felt his member burning. Brooke contracted even more her wet walls and both were consumed by pleasure.

"Ohhh… Aahhh… Julian… oh my God… Ooohhhhh" Brooke cried out loudly before reaching the orgasm for the second time as he hit the point he knew by heart. The way she called out his name was more than Julian could take and he also reached it, collapsing his body by her side.

"Oh God" Brooke said breathless. She finally felt worn down after the marathon she had imposed to them ever since they got the results.

She couldn't think of a better way to celebrate her healthy condition and Julian wasn't complaining. There was nothing better than knowing his girlfriend was as healthy as she could be though the doctors were yet to know what caused the variation in her blood and she would have to be submitted to constant blood tests and eventually a couple of biopsies until the end of her pregnancy but they didn't think about it.

"This is it?" Julian teased the brunette in his arms.

"I guess it is" she smiled resting her head in his chest.

"I thought I would have to take some pills to endure your hunger" he chuckled and thought for a moment how everything was perfect. He and Brooke had finally left everything that happened behind them. Everything that hurt them before didn't have any importance anymore, not only because they were having a baby together but also because they had to face what a real and definitive threat could be even if the doctors had been positive about a recovery in the case she had cancer. But thankfully she didn't and he never felt happier in his life than today.

"What do you think our bug will look like?" she asked as she played with her fingers in his exposed chest.

"According to Dy it will be blond, has blue eyes, just like Nat but I think it will be a mix between you and me. Brown hair, hazel eyes, your dimples, my grin, your nose, my chin" he wondered about what he would like the baby to look like.

"It will definitely have your grin. If it is a boy all girls will be enchanted by his illegal grin and it is a girl all the guys will be mesmerized by her cheerful and also illegal grin" Brooke couldn't hold back her own broad grin.

"As long as it has your dimples" he kissed her forehead lightly.

"I don't like to call him or her 'it'" she complained feeling bad about calling her son or daughter 'it'.

"I guess it is a little bit too early to know the sex. Do you want to know the sex?" he asked her. Actually they were yet to have a serious conversation about the baby. All their previous conversations had been about cancer and after the results and when they were finally done, they had tried to relax, work and make love more than they could. Everything was fast and it was hard for them to follow it.

"Of course I want. How am I supposed to draw the cutest and most amazing baby line if I don't know the sex?" she told him but then thought about what would be his opinion "Why, wouldn't you?"

"Liz never wanted to know and it was great to be surprised but I am not sure I could wait months to know because that's my baby and everything is absolutely different. It is the most intense experience in my life" Julian mused as he thought about it. It was his baby. Not only his baby but his and Brooke's baby. It was more than a dream coming true because he honestly had never dreamed about something this perfect.

"Do you prefer it to be a boy or a girl? And please don't even try to say both way or as long as it is healthy. I am sure when you saw yourself as a father you thought about a sex" Brooke queried curious.

"To be honest I never really saw myself as a father. It had always been something I would love to be but that I had already convinced myself that it would never happen. I guess I always wanted to be a father but I was never willing to take the whole package. I didn't want to have a family nor a wife and I wouldn't have a baby and deprive it of a mother" he confessed to her and Brooke was actually surprised. She had always thought that Julian definitely had dreamed about parenthood among other reasons because he was a natural.

"I would be a waste for you to never be a daddy" she straddled further in his chest reaching his lips with hers and brushing them quickly.

"You've changed my life, Brooklyn. You gave me what nobody else in the world would give me" he cupped her cheeks with his hands and pulled her to another kiss.

"You changed mine too, Julls" she smiled contently in his arms "But you are yet to answer me, what would you prefer if it was up to you to choose"

"As I know you would want to have a girl, I would say a boy, so if it is a boy it won't feel second best" he quickly thought about it.

"Who said I wanted a girl?"

"I clearly remember of your plans of adopting a girl and not just a baby or a boy"

"It wasn't really like that actually. I mean I kept saying to Haley and sometimes even to myself that one day a guy would come and he would be good enough to my baby but deep down I knew it wouldn't happen. I know it is bad enough to don't have a daddy but I guess if you are a boy it is even harder. Every little boy looks up to their father as their hero and who they want to be and if I had a boy I guess it wouldn't be fair to him" her voice cracked at moments as she remembered what would be her destiny if she hadn't met the man she loved so much.

"You're perfect, you know?" he whispered weakly "You are going to be a great mother, the only one I would allow to be the mother of my kids. The only one that would love them as they deserve. You are one of a kind, Brooklyn and this baby couldn't ask for a better mother. It doesn't really matter if it is a she or a he, I already know they will love you more than me and that they will look up to you because you are the best parent a child could ask"

"I am supposed to be a hormones roller-coaster, you can't keep saying those words to me otherwise I will be dehydrated" she was already wiping the tears that shimmered her eyes.

"Marry me" he blurted and she was actually surprised by his sudden and unexpected words.

"Wh—what?" her voice was low but her eyes shined more than ever.

"I know I promised you a better ring and a better speech than the first ones but I guess the ring will have to wait and the speech, well I don't think I'll will ever be able to put into words how much I love, admire, cherish and care about you. And still with all those feelings what really moves me is an unstoppable desire to just call you my wife because no other word feels right to call you. Marry me, Brooklyn Penelope Davis" he asked again as his hands held her waist firmly while she lied over his body.

"Are you serious?" the tears from some minutes ago were more intense and filled of happiness.

"Adamant" he smiled as he saw her lips curving and then moving to meet his. She kissed him slowly and passionately while she cupped his face, putting all her love in her lips and feeling like he was doing the same.

"Was that a way to shut me up and say 'no' or was it a 'yes'?" he asked her but the grin in his face showed he knew the answer and only wanted to listen her saying it.

"Neither one, it was only to thank you for loving me, for letting me love you and for doing something even bigger. It was my way to thank you the honor you are giving to me by making me Mrs. Baker" she teary said as he wiped the salt drops away "Or Mrs. Norris for that matter" she remembered about how he only used his mother maiden name professionally but still had his father's.

It was his turn to be touched by her and to bring her to another kiss. Their lives were changing fast but it didn't matter because that was what they wanted for the rest of their days. But it didn't matter because everything felt right, because regardless if it was fast or not, they had never been that happy in their lives and they were in that moment. It was perfection.

* * *

"Can we stop by Haley after the appointment?" she asked as he drove them to Dr. Nash's practice.

"You are feeling guilty aren't you?" he smiled looking to her briefly and then back to the street.

"She will never forgive me for telling your sisters a week before her but I wanted to make it real before telling someone else, you know?" she admitted as he was spot on her emotions.

"Yeah, I know" he thought about how he also wanted to tell Bianca and other people of the crew really close to him.

"And also I need to face Victoria" Brooke sighed totally changing her expression.

"I guess we should make an announcement of our engagement and let the world figure out the rest" he suggested as the idea just popped in his head.

"But my publicist is C/B's publicist and believe me the moment the words leave my mouth she will contact Victoria and this announcement will never be made because Bitchoria will take care of it" Brooke explained frustratedly.

"We could use mine" he shrugged off.

"I didn't know you have one" she chuckled.

"I don't but I guess I can hire one really quickly or just create a Twitter account, though the latter would be more effective if you created as you will have more followers than me" he joined her laughs.

"I guess we have a plan. Let's talk to Haley and you hire you a publicist or create a Twitter account" she smiled still thinking it was absolutely insane to hire a publicist just to make an announcement but anything would be better than face Victoria and tell her about the pregnancy. Letting her freak out about their engagement was already bad enough.

"I also need to buy the ring. I don't want the world to think I wouldn't give the best to my future wife" he turned to her as he stopped in front of the clinic and leaning to kiss her one more time, taking advantage of the private area where he parked her car.

"We are going to be parents" she showed her beautiful dimples as soon as she unbuckled her belt and reached for his hand.

"Yes, we are" he answered in awe of this reality as the sonogram was the first doctor appointment exclusively about the baby and that didn't involve the terrifying word cancer. They couldn't have a better feeling about it.

"Shall we go?" he suggested after a couple of minutes when each of them let their minds drift to what happened to their lives. They were having a baby and getting married and not necessarily in that order but still, the year that had just began seemed to have reserved only happiness to the in love couple.

"Yes" she nodded and stepped out of the car.

* * *

In no time they were already inside of Dr. Nash.

"I was really happy with the news Dr. Martin shared with me" he told the couple after they saluted each other.

"We are definitely happy about it. Well except about the blood samples and biopsies as I am not a great lover of needles" Brooke confessed but the smile never abandoned her face.

"It will be done before you know" the elder man assured.

"I hope so" she reached for Julian's hand and squeezed it again. Sometimes she thought about maybe having a problem later in the pregnancy but she tried to brush those ideas away as soon as they appeared and Julian's presence alone was enough to give her hope.

"Let's start" the doctor suggested and moved to the questions about how Brooke had been feeling and then moved to the doubts they had about the pregnancy. He also explained about the special cares that she should take and even imediate a small argument between Julian and Brooke about how much she should work. The doctor didn't see any problem with her organizing the fashion shows but Julian thought it was too stressful and that it wouldn't be good for her and the baby. When he mentioned this, Dr. Nash told he was right but Brooke explained to both men that she would know when to stop, leading both men to be quiet.

"How about we see this little bundle of joy now?" the doctor suggested seeing that the couple would need to discuss how much Brooke should or shouldn't work privately.

"I think that's a great idea" Brooke stood up while Julian shook his head but ultimately he knew nobody would make the brunette's head and she would work as much as she wanted so he let it go.

"Well with the sonogram I can say for sure how many weeks you are along" the doctor explained as Brooke lied down in the stretcher.

"As I told you I guess it couldn't be any longer than ten weeks" she explained.

"Were you taking any sort of contraceptive medication or method?" the doctor asked.

"I took pill because that was what my doctor had subscribed me while in high school but to be honest sometimes I forgot to take it and took two in the following day" she confessed and Julian finally understood why it happened. He had never thought about it anyway, he was happy she was pregnant regardless if they planned it or not.

"Well if you take both pills in less than twelve hours chances are you won't get pregnant" the doctor clarified "For the future I mean"

"According to my beautiful fiancée I should get her pregnant nonstop so I guess she won't be taking any pills in the next years" Julian joked and he loved how the word fiancée sounded in his lips.

"So you are getting married. Congratulations" the doctor offered sitting by her side and taking the ultrasound pad in his hand.

"Thanks" both Julian and Brooke said. The moment Julian said those words her stomach flipped and her heart fluttered. She was his fiancée, his soon-to-be-wife and listening someone congratulating them for that was amazing.

"Can you pull your shirt over Brooke? You don't need to take it off, just move it up a little bit and then pull down your pants' waistband a couple of inches too" he instructed and she did as said "This is going to be cold" he warned and then he spread the gel in her flat stomach.

"That it is" the doctor pointed his pen to the black and white screen showing them what they would say was just a blur but as soon as the doctor showed they automatically recognized as their baby.

"It is so big" Brooke said surprised and touched, looking up to Julian who was also mesmerized by the picture.

"That's because you were right. You are already twelve weeks along" the doctor said as he took the last measure of the fetus.

"Twelve? That's not possible" she looked up to Julian alerted. Twelve weeks ago she didn't even know him yet.

"From now on we will consider your pregnancy from the date of your last period. That's what we count but the conception date was probably ten weeks ago like you pointed" he told her and she released the breath she had been holding. She didn't want Julian to doubt it was his baby. She hadn't been with a man in years before him.

"Honey, it is okay, I trust you" Julian who was by the other side of the bed whispered in her ear as he kissed the side of her head.

"Will you want to know the sex?" the doctor asked as he kept taking notes of everything he saw in the picture.

"Yes" they both answered and Brooke continued "Can you already see it?"

"Not yet. In your next appointment when you are seventeen weeks along maybe we will be lucky enough. I just asked it just because I forgot to check it before and I need to have this in your file"

"And the heart, what about the heart?" Julian asked worried. He had already filmed a couple of pregnancy and fictional sonograms and there was always a heartbeat. _Why can't we listen to heart?,_ he thought concerned.

"We'll be right there, Julian. I was taking the notes about the baby. Everything seems perfect with the baby and now I am going to find the heartbeat" the doctor informed and in less than thirty seconds and a few moves with the pad, the powerful noise finally filled the room.

"There it is, daddy" Dr. Nash told the anxious and still inexperienced father-to-be whose heart skipped a beat at the doctor's word and his whole body had goosebumps raised by their baby's heartbeat.

"Our baby, Brooklyn, our baby" he told her with teary eyes.

Brooke was also absolutely touched by the constant and incredible fast beats from her baby's heart.

"The heartbeat is also perfect. I am happy to tell that your baby is as healthy as it can be, Brooke. I'll let you and Julian alone for a couple of minutes and then a nurse will come to clean your stomach and then you can join me outside, okay?" the elder man offered and the young couple thanked still mesmerized by the sound of their baby's heart.

"Did you hear him? Everything is perfect" Julian whispered leaning his forehead on hers.

"It is perfect. I thought we wouldn't be able to clearly see it in the first sonogram but it looks so big" she looked at the screen where they could still see their baby.

"I don't even know what I expected. I've never seen a sonogram before, not even my nephew's. Liz didn't record it and I really didn't have a chance to look at the pictures the doctor took to her. She showed me one of Julia's but all I could see was a big blur, so I never tried to see the others but now I can see everything even the spine, I don't even have to look for it, it is just there" Julian said proudly that he could see his baby in the screen so clearly and beautiful to his eyes.

"I've been with Haley in one of her appointments when she was pregnant but this is totally different" Brooke confessed "It is our baby. I am pregnant with your baby. We are going to be mommy and daddy"

"We will be parents in six months and a half" he contemplated how it seemed so soon though at the same time it was so distant.

"I can't believe this" she looked up to him.

"Neither do I" he kissed her and smiled to her and then kissed her again holding each other. Everything was more than perfect and more than they could have asked. Their life was complete and they couldn't wait until the day when they would hold their baby in their arms. They day where they would call each other husband and wife. The day where all their dreams would come true and hopefully that day wouldn't take too long to come.

* * *

_AN: How better can it get? Engaged, having loads of sex and having a healthy baby?_

_I really like where they are now, they certainly needed a break after all the things they have been through, especially the cancer threat. Their deserved break will definitely be filled of love, sex, cute moments and fluffy but let's not forget pregnant woman sometimes can be handful and Brooke won't be any different. Also pregnancy can be very boring sometimes._

_Next coming: Baley; Jamie/Julian; reactions about their engagement; Brooke's scenes in the movie and the fashion shows. Maybe the sex will be revealed depending on how the chapter goes, but if it doesn't, then in the following it will be. I am almost finishing this fic and I guess it will have about 4-5 chapters still (including or not the epilogue)._

_I didn't start the next chapter yet so I guess it will only be updated again next week. I tried to upload it first but ff wasn't really helping me._

_Thanks to the great people that reviewed last chapter. **Sab** was my 300th which is a great and amazing milestone to me. Also thanks to Syrine, Artemi, Maddie, Kayla, xxAshley and SouthernBellBrooke. I hope you have more for me ;)_

_Talk to you soon,_

_Babi_


	36. Juker & Dimples: Brookie

**Lying Helpless in Her Arms**

**Chapter 35 - Brookie's**

* * *

The happy couple left the practice and headed straight to Haley's house. They wanted to share the news with her family and it was just a shame that Nate was traveling with the Knicks but she was sure he raven haired guy would be really happy for her.

"Auntie Brookie!" Jamie announced jumping as he seen his godmother from the window of his room, running downstairs to meet the brunette.

"Hey J-Luke" Brooke told him as soon as he opened the door and threw his arms around her waist. It had been a few days since they had seen each other and Jamie was really excited to live in the same city as her.

"Do you remember Julian?" she asked him as soon as they broke apart.

"Of course I do. He is your boyfriend and he rocks at Wii" the little boy offered proud of his memory. Brooke was yet to see Jamie ever since New Year's and that was the only time Julian and Jamie actually met and talked in addition to their casual encounter in the Scott's house before they moved.

"What about we play some now?" Julian suggested as Haley approached to meet them in the living room.

"Hales" Brooke hugged her friend happy to finally see her again and to actually have good news to break.

"Long time no see, Tigger. It was sort of hard to talk to you lately. Is that guy to blame?" she turned to Julian who was already engaged in some conversation with Jamie but then turned to greet Haley.

"Hey, Haley. How have you been?" Julian was sort of formal. He knew this was the only family Brooke considered but he was still to get closer to them. While Brooke had shared some serious emotional moments with his sisters, thankfully his time with Naley had been drama-free and he was yet to get more intimate to the couple that meant so much to his fiancée.

"Good" Haley looked between the couple that exchanged a passionate and happy smile before they turned their attention back to her "What's up with the goofy faces?" she followed their suit and also curled her lips. She was happy that her best friend was finally happy and that the cancer threat was sent away.

"That's Brooke's to tell. I am going to play some with little man here. Let's go, Jamie?" Julian took Jamie by the waist, throwing him over his should. If he was yet to be more at easy around Haley and Nathan he couldn't resist Jamie at all. Julian loved kids and this one was just adorable.

"So, what's there to tell?" Haley asked curious after they watched the boys disappear to the games room.

"I don't where to begin" Brooke's grin was so big that it barely fit in her face. She felt like she was going to explode.

"The beginning is always a good way" Haley led their way to the couch.

"Well, the cancer… it doesn't exist but they aren't sure it won't develop in the next months so I am going to take some blood tests every month and ultrasounds at every three months to follow it closely" Brooke started and Haley looked at her puzzled. She knew Brooke was healthy but she didn't expect something like that and mainly she couldn't believe the reason why Brooke and Julian seemed so happy was something like that.

"Isn't that a little bit too much? I mean women our age normally check for cancer at every two years. I guess because of your family records it would be wise to check more often but monthly blood samples it seems just too much" Haley already showed her opinion.

"In normal conditions I guess that would be their position. There was some variation in my blood results that is often related to cancer but that's not the main reason why I am going to need to be tested" Brooke clarified to her friend and making a dramatic pause she talked again "In my condition the increase of hormones could help the cancer to develop faster and that's why they want to certificate I am okay"

"But why are your hormones high?" the redhead asked confused.

"Remember that I told you I wanted to adopt?" Brooke offered a broad smile to her friend that only nodded but still not following the brunette which kind of surprised Brooke because Haley was just too fast to this stuff. "I won't need anymore"

"Oh my God, your fertility issues were fixed?" Haley clapped her hands together.

"Actually there were never real fertility issues, only some little problems" Brooke explained and the singer immediately brought her friend to a hug "I am so happy for you Tigger!!!"

"But that's not all. I am pregnant" Brooke said excitedly and Haley was actually shocked. Not bad shocked, good shocked. "That's great!!" she brought the designer to another hug.

"That's perfect" Brooke looked to where Julian and Jamie went.

"He seems to be great with kids" Haley this time got her friend's hint.

"He is. I can't believe this is happening, Hales. I mean just some months ago I was lost, unhappy and hopeless and then he came and changed everything. I can't even explain because everything was so fast" Brooke was teary as she talked about the man she loved so much "Hormones" she rolled her eyes taking a tissue from her purse and wiping her tears but all while smiling.

"Hormones are a bitch" Haley offered with a content smile. She was really happy for her friend.

"We've just arrived from our first sonogram" Brooke said as she took the envelope from her purse and handed it to her friend. "I am twelve weeks along and everything is perfect with me and the baby" her tears fell a little bit more intensely.

Haley took the pictures and looked at the little fetus in them. She didn't need any help because she would always look Jamie's baby book and there were a few pictures of him during the pregnancy.

"And there is more" Brooke continued as the mother looked at the pictures "Julian proposed to me. He had actually announced a proposal was coming when he gave me his Christmas gift but then this morning he officially proposed"

"I guess it was about time for you to get the boy and the baby that you dreamed about. I told you it would happen and I guess Julian is just a great guy" Haley handed the pictures back to Brooke that looked to them tenderly thinking not only about her baby but also about the man that she loved so much.

"He is" she uttered as her finger contoured their baby. "Do you think we are moving too fast? With the marriage and the baby thing?" Brooke asked to her best friend. It rarely crossed her mind but as he held those pictures and thought about the man in the next room she couldn't help but fear losing them. They were what she had of most important in her life and she wanted to ensure that she wouldn't screw up.

"There isn't a right timing, Brooke and if there is who am I to say anything? Nathan and I were married merely some months after we started dating and though Jamie came only a couple of years later, he could have come earlier" Haley knew that Brooke was struggling with something though she couldn't figure out if it was only the pace of her relationship with Julian or if it was something else.

"I guess you are right" the brunette brushed the insecure thoughts off of her mind.

"Of course I am, not let's go to the kitchen, I am going to make us something to eat while I give you some tips on pregnancy. You are staying for lunch, right?" Haley winked to her best friend that gave a smile back while she followed the experienced mother.

* * *

"So why are you and Auntie Brooke here?" Jamie asked as they waited for the next match to load.

"Can't we just come and say hello?" Julian asked.

"You can but I guess you don't. It is week day and grownups work a lot. Auntie Brooke works a lot and she never has time to have lunch during week days" Jamie wisely explained.

"I guess you are right" Julian chuckled "And I guess we can let Brooke to break the news to the girls and me to the boys"

"What news?" Jamie totally let go of the joystick in his hand and turned to Julian curious.

"Auntie Brooke and I are getting married and having a baby" Julian felt something burning inside of him as he shared those news for the first time ever since they knew everything was okay with her and the baby. Fair enough it was to a five-year old but it didn't matter. Telling he was marrying Brooke and having a baby with her caused his stomach to flip and his face to get hot.

"Cool, Santa gave Auntie Brookie what I asked" Jamie said sort of cockily and happily.

"And how is that?" Julian asked curious.

"Auntie Brookie was really sad before Christmas and she told me she wanted something but that it was impossible for her to have. She told me she wanted a family just like mine and I told her that I would ask Santa because I was a good boy last year" the blond boy explained.

"I guess you must have been a really, really good boy because this all was really hard for us" Julian opened up a bit contemplating how everything with Brooke turned out.

"Did you also want a family?"

"I wanted your godmother more than life itself and having a baby with her just ices the cake" Julian honestly confessed.

"I asked mom and dad a little brother or sister. I want to be a big brother"

"And what did they say?"

"They said that's God who decides this so I asked God too" the boy offered a big grin to Julian that shook his head smiling too.

"Well if God thinks you should wait a little bit more, I guess you could practice with our baby until your baby sister or baby boy arrives, what do you think?" Julian offered and the five-year old pondered about it for a few seconds.

"I think it is okay" he shrugged off "Is it a boy or a girl?" he completed and the video-game was long forgotten, both joysticks already resting on the floor.

"I don't know. What would you want?" Julian returned the question.

"I guess I want a baby sister or a baby girl cousin" Jamie answered after some thought.

"And why is that?"

"Because my Uncle Luke has a little sister and I miss her. She is always traveling with her mother and I like when she is around so I guess I'd like to have a baby sister" the blond explained and Julian chuckled. Jamie was really special and smart.

"I guess that's a good reason" he nodded.

"But 'I don't know' is not an answer. What do you want, a baby girl or a baby boy? What does Auntie Brookie want?" the boy insisted on his question.

"I thought Auntie Brooke wanted a girl but she says she wants any. I have three nephews and a niece I guess I would like to have a girl" Julian pondered briefly about it. He knew Jamie wouldn't settle down for his answer. The important thing was he was having a baby with Brooke and that it would be only the first of many so it really didn't matter the gender.

"But maybe God will give you a boy because I have a little experience with Lily and I don't have any experience with a boy and I want to be the best big brother and big cousin of the planet so I think I should practice with a boy now" Jamie reasoned and once again led Julian to smirk. The boy was definitely smart.

"Maybe you are right but we will have to wait a few more weeks to find out. Do you want to see its picture?" Julian asked. It didn't matter he was talking to a child, he was exultant about their baby. He had asked Dr. Nash a small picture of the baby for him to keep it in his wallet.

Jamie nodded and Julian showed him the black and white paper that had his and Brooke's baby and he was teary and touched all over again.

"Where is it?" Jamie asked trying to find it but had no success.

"It is this little nut right here" Julian pointed out but Jamie couldn't see it yet.

"It is hard to find it but in the next one you will be able to see it, okay" he offered after a few failed attempts of showing the baby to Jamie.

"I am going to be a big cousin" Jamie changed the subject smiling proudly.

"Yes, you are" Julian looked to the picture in his hands as the boy took the joystick back. He was still getting used to the idea of being a dad but he couldn't wait for it to happen as he partially turned his attention back to the game.

* * *

The days had passed and Brooke's pregnancy continued almost asymptomatic. Almost being the key word. She didn't have morning sickness or any dizziness and excessive tiredness. If anything she was more active and fired up than ever both to work and sex and Julian had a little bit of hard time following her. Bossy wouldn't even start making justice to her mood lately.

She had been working from the studio every day because after their publicist – the one that she thought Julian wouldn't hire but hired two days after he proposed – made the official announcement about their engagement, Victoria had been trying to drive her crazy. She had even threatened to fire her mother if she didn't give her a break. And that's because her mother only knew about the proposal. The pregnancy was still a private subject that only some people knew about. In addition to their families. Julian told Bianca and Kate and both were really happy for him and for Brooke too but especially for him as they knew Julian would make a great husband and father.

It helped that Brooke was yet to show. The other day she popped but her bump was still too small and the loosen clothes she wore helped her to hide it. She was sixteen weeks along and in one week they hoped they would find out the sex of the baby. And also take her first blood sample to be examined. Shooting the fictional fashion show and taking care of the last details of her own wasn't as half wearing as knowing that she could get some bad news in a few days.

Julian sensed that she had changed a little bit in the past week but he was yet to say something. As always he was waiting for her to come to him and open herself as she did the last few times but maybe now was different.

"Julian Norris!!!!" she demanded as she entered his office in the set.

"Good afternoon to you too, dearest fiancée" he teased her but he knew better than do it to a hormonal, pissed off Brooke.

"Do you care to explain me where are my models?" she was fuming and in moments like this Julian honestly worried about the stress she was putting over herself and the baby.

"Brooke, slow down, it doesn't make any good for you and the baby when you are this angry" he tried to calm her down but it worked quite the opposite.

"I would be calm; actually I would be talking to my frigging baby right now if the damned models were here for us to do the rehearsal"

"You are the one that wanted them to be the same of your show instead of actresses and I guess there is only one thing worse than actresses… models" he shrugged but gulped as he seen the deathful glare she sent him.

"Yeah, but you were the one that decided that they should fit 'the beauty identity of the movie'" she quoted his supposedly words.

"I knew what kind of woman I wanted to be Juliet's models because it also shows who she is" he tried to reason but he already knew it was impossible to be reasonable when Brooke was on her peak.

"Really? Does it show Juliet's preferences or yours? Because I am a designer and I sure as hell won't think about the asses' and boobs' measures that I want to show in my show!!!!" she threw her hands in the air.

"Juliet is trying to making a statement about zero not being a size" Julian retorted though he kept a friendly tone.

"Do you want to know what statement I want to do right now?" Brooke challenged him and he got the message clearly.

"I'll try to get track of them for you, right now" he took his Blackberry from his desk and talked to someone of his crew that would try to get all the twenty models to be there though as he looked to the the watch in his phone he realized that they were only supposed to arrive in fifteen minutes and maybe they would be there on time but he would never mention that in front of Brooke.

"Good" was all she answered.

"Why don't you try to relax a little bit before they arrive here? I am sure the baby is really excited to have that conversation you mentioned" he wrapped his arms around her waist and was happy to see that she didn't pull away. The cocky Julian of some months ago turned into a whipped little boy most of the time though sometimes he decided to play with the fire that Brooke Davis was lately.

"I think of something better we could do" her sexy voice let him know about her mood swing and not coincidently it always involved something sexual. He had turned into her whipped little sexual slaver boy.

"I am so sorry, Honey but I was heading out when you arrived. I need to check some things in the Hamptons today so we can shoot there tomorrow" he honestly explained her.

"But I miss you" she whined and he only smirked "Dimples, we had it like three times between last night and this morning"

"I know but it has already been four hours" she moved her manicured nails to under his shirt, creating a trail of goose bumps and leading him to moan slightly.

"I am sorry Honey but I'll make up for you when we get home today" he kissed her cheek.

"I can't wait" she offered him a mischievous smile and he only shook his head.

"You are definitely one of a kind, Brooklyn" he leaned and kissed his fiancée in the lips before breaking apart to leave.

"I asked Andrea to let you know when the models are there. But take it easy, okay? For you and the baby" he pleaded while he brushed the hair away of her beautiful face. He was surprised to know the papz or even Victoria didn't see how glowing and just stunning Brooke was in the last weeks. There wasn't any woman more beautiful than her, that he was sure of. Regardless of bump or not, it was written in her pretty face that she was holding their baby but he was happy she could be spared of the craziness her mother would bring when she found out about it. Hopefully the craziness caused by both fashion shows would be done soon and then they could face the wrath of Victoria Davis.

"I am sorry, I know I am overreacting a lot lately and I am handful but I just want this to be over. We will finally shoot the fashion show next week and in three weeks I'll be done with mine too and everything will be back to normal, I promise" she moved her hands to his waist and offered him her puppy eyes "Except the sex I guess" she then smiled a bit and he again pulled her for another kiss. He couldn't resist her cuteness.

"I love you" he told her before walking away.

"I love you too" she answered and he looked back at her with a smile in his face. She was handful and unpredictable but she was still his perfect Brooklyn.

* * *

During the show's rehearsal Brooke actually acted as most of her scenes were supposed to happen during the fashion show. She was excited and Bianca and Kate assured her she did really well though she really wanted Julian to see it. Granted, it was only the rehearsal and they would only shoot the scenes in the following week but everybody in the crew seemed to be so proud of her acting skills that she wanted the most important person to her to also acknowledge it.

And it was with little and silly things like this that slowly her cheeriness and happiness were drying up. She hated herself for that but she couldn't brush away the thoughts of losing Julian or the baby or even dying in the process. She knew she was anxious about the tests and she didn't want Julian to see it which made the whole situation much more unbearable. She had become dependent on him. He was always there to say the right words to her and to encourage her but how was she supposed to show her insecurities about him? It was a vicious circle. She feared to lose him because she was being a bitch to him lately even though she did her best to be nicer but failed miserably because her hormones seemed to be very strong willed. Do not sharing those fears with him only caused them to grow bigger as he was always the one to calm her down.

And then there was the constant cancer threat that wouldn't leave her head. She couldn't forget about it now that she was only a few days away of running new labs but again she didn't want to bring any pain to him. She guessed that he was probably a little afraid himself but she knew if she opened up she would only make him hurt and what if she indeed had something? What if it was just too early when she first made the exams four weeks ago? What if now it had time enough to grow and risk her life? Even worst, risk her baby's life. She knew the doctors had been very positive about her condition even if she had cancer eventually but there were also a few 'buts' in their predictions and what if she was in any of those 'buts'?

"So I've heard we have a new Academy Award contestant" he interrupted her negative thoughts entering his office where she would work when she wasn't in the set.

"Hey, I missed you" she looked up to man that she loved and seeing the proud smile in his face even if he hadn't seen by himself what she had delivered in the set already changed her emotions. That's why she needed Julian so much in her life.

"I missed you too. How did it go?" he raised her body and placed her in his lap kissing her quickly in the process.

"Haven't you already got your report?" she kinked her eyebrow to him but held a sweet smile.

"I know what they saw and I must say everyone is impressed but what I want to know it is how it was for you. Did you like it? Was it easy? Did you have butterflies in your stomach?" the mention of the current favorite part of her body led his hands to unconsciously caress her little bump.

"It was pretty amazing. Kate was great to me. She gave me a lot of tips and stuff" she moved one of her hands to the top of his that still caressed her belly.

"And how is our Bug today? Did you help Mommy to stay calm?"

"Yes, I did Daddy, I am such a great baby, the best Mommy could ask for" she mimicked a child voice.

"Thanks for thanking care of her when Daddy is not around" he slipped from under her, letting her sat in his chair while he knelt in front of her and uncovering her belly he kissed it a few times.

"It had been fluttering a bit throughout the day. I guess it misses you around and your constant touching" she offered as she watched Julian massaging her stomach softly.

"Daddy is here now and he can't wait until he can feel you moving too. Actually daddy can't wait to have you here with us, you know that? Yeah, everybody here is anxious to meet you, Bug. Your aunties, uncles and big cousins are all excited about you but especially Mommy and Daddy. We already started buying your nursery, yes we did. Mommy likes Pooh and she got this beautiful wallpaper that you are going to love but you will have to wait a few months until we hang it on the wall because your room is sort of occupied now and we can't hang it just yet" all the time he placed quick kisses in her belly while he was talking but as he said the last line he looked up to her and as he expected she held a puzzled face.

"The room isn't occupied"

"Yes, it is and it will be for about four more months though I already talked to everybody and they agreed that we could already start getting the nursery done before as the room itself isn't being used actually" he drove her even more confused and by the big grin in his face she knew he had great news for her.

"I bought us the house" he straightened up his body letting go of her belly and leveling up their faces.

"Which house?" she asked clueless but really happy to know he got them a house, though she would have preferred to be part of the choice.

"Lea and Anthony's or I must say now Brooke and Julian's" he took the folder from the desk that she didn't even realize he had placed there when he entered the office. "I talked to Jessica and Mark and they agreed to sell us the house. The studio authorized the sale to me and I made some changes in the schedule. We are going to shoot all remaining scenes in the Hamptons in the next month and then we only need to wait until the contract with the studio expires so we can move in" he handed her the papers and though her vision was blurred because of the tears she could see the name of the new owners: Brooke Penelope Davis and Julian Michael Norris.

"Julian but that house must have cost you a little fortune" Brooke told him though she was still shocked by the news.

"I've received a very nice fund of my grandfather when I turned twenty-one and Nathalie sold my house in LA but it doesn't matter because you wanted that house so much and Jessica told me that she would only sell the house to someone that she knew could have a love story as beautiful and true as her grandparents had and according to her there isn't a couple that fits better the description than us"

"I love you so much" she threw her arms around his body and almost fall losing her balance from the chair but Julian held her strongly and moved her to the floor with him kissing her passionately.

"I love you too, Brooklyn" he told as they broke apart "And we will be even happier than Lea and Anthony were there and we will tell this beautiful story to our kids and grandkids, just like you dreamed about. Starting with this one" he reached for her stomach again as he usually did. All his dreams were coming true and even dreams that he never dared to have become reality because of the woman he was kissing and about to make love. And he would spare no pains to make her happy.

* * *

_AN: Guys if I didn't middle named Julian Michael in any of the previous chapters, please let me know. Normally I keep a file with all personal information from the characters I write such as age, full name, profession and physical description but I didn't add Julian's middle name in this file and I am not sure I named him Michael in any of the chapters and I am sort of lazy of reading it. So if you remember it or read it and it isn't Michael, let me know._

_What I like about this chapter in addition to Baley and Julie (it is a cute nickname for Julian + Jamie) it is Brooke. She is always such a rich character that gives a writer endless layers and possibilities. She is a little overboard with her emotions and hormones and I will definitely write it in details. Not only because of the pregnancy but of the silent threat of cancer. She knows her prospects are great even if she gets sick but Brooke Davis still has a lot of work to do about her insecurity and sometimes pessimism – which are actually only a consequence of her fears. She will be pissed, crying, afraid, vulnerable and some more throughout the pregnancy and I am sure she will make you laugh and cry a few more times._

_Next up: the show, the baby's sex, Victoria and maybe their Valentine's day. Brooke and Julian had sex in the first week of November and she got pregnant. As doctors count pregnancy based on the last period and not the conception date we need to add two more weeks from the conception to the current week to know how far along she is. So this is supposedly to be the beginning of the second week of February (the sixteenth pregnancy week) and Valentine's days will be in a few days and so Julian's birthday :P._

_Thanks to Maddie, sab, sb1218, NicoleDavis92x, Syrine, Artemi, CheeryGirl, cheerychris and xxAshley for reviewing last chapter :D._

_Talk to you soon_

_Babi_


	37. Juker & Dimples: Noah

**Lying Helpless in Her Arms**

**Chapter 36 - Noah  
**

* * *

It was Valentine's Day **and** Julian's birthday. Not exactly his birthday yet but Brooke really didn't feel up to two celebrations separated by only two days. She even suggested them to get out on the fifteenth because it would be exactly between both dates but Julian wanted to give her the perfect Valentine's Day and it didn't included celebrating it in the following day.

Actually what he planned didn't include any big celebration. He went to their new house and set everything up hoping that though it was simple it would touch Brooke's heart. It was a good thing that he was the producer and could work in the shooting schedule as he wanted. Actually most scenes weren't shot in the Hamptons and he had already shot most of them. He had been thinking about buying the house since Brooke and he got together and instinctively he scheduled most of the scenes there, regardless of their order in the movie. When they got the baby news more than fifty percent had already been shot and ever since the other fifty was almost gone too. Among the few scenes remaining it was a big fight between Juliet and Charles that would lead her to labor a few weeks before her due date. Julian decided that this scene couldn't be anticipated. He wanted Kate and Ethan to feel what Juliet and Charles were feeling and for that he needed them to go through all the problems they had in their relationship. The final scene was also in the house and just because of superstition Julian always liked his movies' first scenes to open the shooting and the last scenes to close it and this one wouldn't be any different.

But for now he had the house to himself and he wanted his and Brooke's first night in their house to be memorable. He wanted everything to be perfect to the woman he loved so much. If anything after they found out her pregnancy he loved her even more. He loved their baby but it couldn't compare to what he felt for the woman that helped him to create a life. Brooke was the consummation of everything he never dreamed about because he had already been convinced that he didn't deserve to have. She was the person that changed his life forever and no matter how many babies she gave him he would never love anyone more than the dimpled girl.

Taking a last look it seemed beautiful and he hoped Brooke would like. She had been a little bit unpredictable lately. He had tried to make special dinners and take her to their places but she either complained about the smells in the house or how she wanted to eat something different of Villa's and the Italian place. He knew the hormones were a bitch but he also suspected it had a little to do with the appointment she would have in two days. He was anxious about it too and he had expected her to share her own anxiety and fears with him but she never mentioned it. Except earlier that day when she had been adamant about going to the appointment alone. She even assured him to get different dates from next month on so he wouldn't lose her pregnancy appointments because of the cancer appointments but this month both were at the same time.

Julian thought about opposing to the idea but he knew better than tell her otherwise. He called the doctor and asked to have the two things separated so he could be there during the sonogram and leave her to do the cancer tests – against his will. The doctor said it was going to be done like that anyway and Julian only had to convince Brooke of letting him be there at least to hear the heartbeat of their baby and to find out the sex.

Brushing off the negative thoughts he took a last at the scenery and everything looked perfect. The only thing missing was the woman of his life but he was going to take care of that. Taking his Blackberry he dialed number two and in no time the raspy voice he loved was greeting him.

"_Hey Baby" _she cheerfully answered the phone.

"Hi, Honey. How do you feel today?" he said with a smile plastered in his face. Not only he was listening to her voice but also she seemed to be in a good mood.

"_Missing my fiancé like crazy"_ she confessed. Today was one of those days that she craved for Julian and she knew it was because of the appointment she had in less than thirty-six hours.

"And how about we change that?" he suggested grinning and she knew he was showing his indefectible smile.

"_I would love to"_

"Well, so what about you come to our house so we can be together and celebrate Valentine's Day?" he suggested.

"_Are you in the Hamptons?"_ her smile was now matching his.

"Yes, waiting for my beautiful fiancée to make me company in our first night in our house"

"_What are you scheming Julian Baker?"_ she asked suspiciously.

"Nothing that you aren't used to. I am being my humble self and that alone already makes you love me more and more. So nothing new, just the amazing Me and that Honey is already enough to make you melt" he cockily offered and though she rolled her eyes at his words and the smile in her face never dropped.

"In your dreams" she tried to cover her reaction but both knew better than that.

"Oh Honey in my dreams you are covering People's magazine confessing your undying love to the most perfect, handsome, charming and hot man in the world. I can even see the headlines 'There is no man in the world like Julian Baker and I am the lucky woman to have him and I am totally in love'" he chuckled and he knew she would be annoyed.

"_No, Baby, you can't have it all. It is either Lucas' name or I'll have to change those headlines to something like 'Julian Baker got me pregnant and now I'm stuck with him'"_ she loved their banters and with that she knew she had hit a nerve. Julian still hated Lucas more than anything else.

"Well Honey, let's see what People brings next week after you come here and see what your amazing, extraordinary, fantastic fiancé got you and we will see where Lucas Scott stands" he retorted sort of annoyed.

"_Can't wait"_ she answered back sarcastically.

"You'll see. By the way you don't need to stop by the penthouse I've got everything you need to spend the night here. Sheets, towels, clothes with matching purse and shoes, jewels and make-up" he proudly informed her knowing that with that little piece of information he would win the banter. And he couldn't be more right.

"_Oh, Baby, you did all that to me?"_

"Yes, Dimples, you deserve that and much more. Did I mention that I've got three different outfits?" he smiled cockily.

"_Well in this case I guess that People cover is totally happening. You are perfect, Julls"_ she melted over the phone.

"I know Honey, so why don't you come here and tell me this in person. It never gets old to see your adoring eyes when you say it" and though he sounded very arrogant, he didn't mean it like that. The loving face she showed when she told him things like that was definitely the best thing in life for Julian.

"_I'm on my way"_ she closed her laptop and sketchbook and put both in his safe. She was already used to the routine he imposed to her. He never allowed her to bring any work home and they would never leave the office after six in the night unless he had to shoot night scenes but in this case he would take her home before going to the locations.

"Love you" his voice became soft and sweet.

"_Love you too"_

* * *

It took Brooke nearly an hour but she finally made it to the Hamptons. She couldn't believe the house was indeed theirs. That was the first time she would be stepping inside the house as the owner and this alone let her excited. And there was Julian and Valentine's Day. Both had agreed that they didn't need any extraordinary gifts anymore. She was happily wearing both rings he gave her and even more happily carrying the baby she was going to give him in a little less than six months.

So she only bought him watch that she saw him staring in the mall a couple of weeks ago in one of their mall rides. She knew he would get her something similar to this but that really didn't matter. The man inside of the house was all she cared. That and their baby.

She parked her car in the driveway and headed to the front door. She couldn't wait to see what he had prepared to her. She knew she had been a bitch to him lately and sometimes she even thought that she made him feel like nothing he did was enough to her but she couldn't stop her hormones swings and Italian food was the only thing that ever made her sick since she got pregnant. Too bad because nobody made a better pasta than her fiancé.

"Baby, I am home" she announced as she entered. She couldn't help but say it. That was going to be their house in a few months and she honestly couldn't wait.

"In the backyard" she heard him yelling.

She made her way to the backyard and though the house was pretty much the same as the last time she came there, including all the cameras and stuff they used to shoot, it felt different in that night. If felt personal and cozy. _Just like Julian loves_, she wondered passing through the kitchen.

"Hey, Baby" she said from the doorway seeing him leaning in the wall by her side, with his arms crossed and his arrogant grin in place. But she couldn't understand the cockiness, actually she was surprised that everything was just… the same. No special decoration, no table set, no tent, no anything. Wasn't it supposed to make her melt?

"I've missed you" he moved from his spot and wrapping his arms around her him leaned down and kissed her slowly and softly just like he loved to do.

"I've missed you too" she told him as they broke apart and with that one kiss she had already forgotten about whatever surprised he led her to believe in.

"Are you hungry?" he couldn't avoid but move his eyes and one of his hands to her stomach.

"Not yet"

"So how about a walk at the beach?" he suggested bringing his lips to hers again to a quick peck.

"Okay" she nodded mesmerized by the man she loved. Maybe it was because they had only seen each other early in the morning when they left to the studio. They rarely went the whole day without seeing each other and today had been especially tiring for her. With the appointment around the corner and so the movie's fashion show her days had become wearing both physically and emotionally and in days like these there was nothing she needed more than him.

"And these need to go away ASAP, Miss" Julian knelt in front of his fiancée and reaching for her boots, he took them off.

"I already explained you. Flats make my legs hurt more than heels. Do you want me to wear sneakers? Because those are the only that actually help" she explained relieved to feel her feet on the cold floor.

"So how was work today?" she asked him curious to know what he had done as clearly he didn't plan anything special to their first Valentine's Day together. While she wasn't disappointed as they both agreed that they had a lot of things going on she still expected something even if small. They had decided for simple because everything in their relationship seemed so intense and fast that they wanted things to be normal and quiet. But simple didn't mean nothing.

"Handful but I hope it pays off" he told her as they reached the garden. Brooke winced because the grass was colder than the cement and also wet.

"Come here" he took her in his arms and headed to the sand.

Soon she saw a blanket that really looked like the one he used the first time they made love at that same beach.

"I hate to tell you this, Mister, but there is no way I am making love to you outside. It's freezing and I guess you really don't want me to get pneumonia" she tapped the tip of his nose "Though I am absolutely up for a make-out session" she brought his lips to hers but didn't deepen the kiss as her words had suggested.

Julian stopped his walking as he felt her soft mouth on his. He couldn't manage to keep carrying her and tasting her sweet kiss all at once.

"How about we leave both for later?" he suggested as soon as they had broken apart.

"You are no fun" she whined while he resumed his journey and soon reached for the blanket. Julian lay on the blanket and Brooke snuggled in his chest until she found the best position for her sore body. There was nothing more relaxing for her than being in his arms.

* * *

They'd spent nearly one hour talking about nothing important, caressing and kissing each other while admiring the beautiful view they had. They talked about their days, about their schedule for the following week and some non-important things about her pregnancy. Purposefully none of them mentioned the appointment in a couple of days. They preferred to schedule it on a Saturday afternoon in hope to attract less attention from the media. The big winter clothes really helped Brooke with her tiny bump but they knew at any time she would show and according to Haley and Isabella it would be from night to day.

Brooke didn't mention the appointment because she was already anxious and afraid about any bad news and Julian because he was waiting for her to share with him her feelings and he could see as clear as crystal how much it affected Brooke.

"It's getting cold" she broke one of the comfortable silences between them in the past hour.

"Yeah, let's get inside, I don't want my babies to get a cold" he kissed her forehead.

Both stood up and he took the blanked and folded it twice handing it to her and bringing her still petite body to his arms, bridal style.

"Cover you. The breeze is really cold" he told her despite the thick coat she was wearing.

She did as he suggested, mainly in her legs where her coat didn't cover, especially because she was wearing a dress under it and was barefoot. As soon as she was finished she moved her arm to his face and for any reason that she couldn't rationally explain she cried.

"Hey, what's it?" he asked softly as she buried her head in his chest, trembling slightly.

"It's just I love you so much and these damned hormones keep making me cry" she confessed partially.

"I love you too, Honey and I am here, so there's no reason to cry, okay?" he soothed but didn't stop walking. He wanted to get her inside because of the cold weather and he knew she really didn't show him any vulnerability lately and he didn't want to stop her showing.

"But you are so perfect to me" she sniffed.

"Because I love you too much and because you deserve everything I do for you and some more" he held her tighter as they reached the back porch. Brooke motioned to get down but he only kissed her softly in the lips and made him way upstairs. He waited for her to keep talking but she was quiet again.

"What about a movie?" he suggested as he got inside the master suite.

"As long as it won't make me cry even more" she wiped the last tears as he brought her down to her feet.

"I can't assure you that part" he kissed her hair and only then she realized that he had a very old projector set up in the room, across their bed.

"It was a gift from my grandfather" he explained as he saw her looking the projector.

"You never mention him but he seems to care a lot about you" she turned back to her man.

"Actually I never really met him, well not that I remember. He died a few months after I was born. I was his only grandson so far so he left a lot of things to me though Iz also got some stuff" Julian clarified.

"I am sorry. I guess a person like him would have been good to you" she brushed his cheek softly.

"You can't miss what you never had so I guess it was okay" he shrugged and she only nodded muttering a yeah.

"So, up to the movie?" he changed the subject. If she didn't like to show vulnerability, Julian was even worse.

"Yeah"

"It is a very special one that had never been released and I am sure you will love it" he took the tape from over the side table and put it in the projector.

The film started with old tapes style and some blurred words that were slowly becoming clearer. In no time she identified the caption. _Juke Plus One._

"Hey, it is not fair. We agreed to keep it simple. Making a film about us doesn't make it simple. All I've got you is a watch" she protested.

"Is by any chance it is a certain Rolex?" he raised one of his eyebrow and she smiled shyly nodding her head.

"So we are totally even here, Honey" he chuckled as he kicked off his shoes, took off his coat and moved to the bed.

"Totally not the point" she crossed her arms in her chest.

"Dimples, it's just a simple and short documentary. A lot of boyfriends do that on Valentine's Day but I'm not sure a lot of them get a Rolex. Now come here and let's watch it" he smirked.

After murmuring a 'humph' and getting rid of her coat, she joined him under the comforter.

It wasn't anything fancy or well produced, just a compilation of pictures of them during Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's and some other casual pictures taken in the set, locations, at Haley's and surely the sonogram as the grand finale.

"I hate my tears ducts!" she wiped the salt drops rolling down her face as the credits started.

"And I love everything about you, ducts included" he removed her hands from her face and kissed the remaining of her tears until all of them were whipped by his lips and he motioned them to her own, kissing her passionately.

Brooke answered his actions and moved her arms to the back of his neck.

He slipped his hands in her legs, reaching her thighs and leading Brooke to close her eyes and moan in pleasure. As she worked in his buttons he worked in her zipper and having a better self-control than her soon he was done with her dress also pulling it down her beautiful body. He finished the work her hands had started and took the chance to also get rid of his pants before meeting her body with his again.

"I missed you the whole day" he confessed as he kissed her neck.

"Me too, Baby. I craved for this the whole day" she whispered trying to hold back the moans that were already in her throat.

"I love you, Brooklyn Penelope Davis" he kissed her in the lips.

"I love you too, Julian Michael Baker" she replied when they broke the contact of their mouths.

Julian unclasped her bra and then reached for her panties rolling it down her perfect legs leaving a trail of kisses where the lacy material slipped. He made the way back to her upper body kissing and caressing with his hands her calves, thighs, hips, stomach, chest and finally reaching her lips again. While his mouth worked in hers his hands reached for her perfect and even more voluptuous breasts. The pregnancy flattered her body and though he thought it was impossible she looked even more beautiful and attractive. She moaned loudly at the firm and still delicate touch of his hands on her, leading both of them to be even hornier.

He moved to the spot right behind her ear and led his fiancée to moan loudly his name. There was nothing more arousing to Julian than listening to her raspy voice cry out his name while they made love. He couldn't wait one more second to have the stunning feeling of being inside of the woman he loved so much. He leaned on his elbows, which were lying by her head side and looking at her he lay down his body until he entered her.

Brooke couldn't hold the cry back as she groaned in pleasure feeling his length occupying every inch of her center. As he entered she moaned louder and louder and when he finally started the thrusts she was already absolutely wet and excited.

Julian was very careful in his actions. He knew her body was probably sore but just because he was gentle, it didn't it wasn't intense and hot. The way his hands possessed and massaged her breasts were absolutely electrifying and inflaming and soon she was close to the climax.

Julian could feel Brooke's body trembling under his also shaking frame. A day hadn't pass that he wouldn't remember the feeling he got when he was inside of her for the first time in his life in that same house though not exactly inside of it. And now that he was reliving it he could see that his memories didn't make her justice. It was much better than he ever remembered.

Feeling her tossing under him he saw that she would soon come. He sped up his thrusts and brought her calves to rest on his shoulders. He didn't want to make her legs even more sore and taking them out of his way finally gave him the change to fully enter her and his fast and deep thrusts soon led her to the climax.

Brooke cried out his name and many other intelligible words as she released her cream on him. He gave her a couple of minutes to finally recover and soon he intensified the thrusts again, even harder than before and in no time he also released in her.

He detached her legs from his shoulders and lying down in the bed while both of them relaxed.

"By the way, the Rolex is a joint gift for your birthday and Valentine's Day" she provoked him after she recovered her breath.

"Hey, two dates, two gifts, no saving here" he whined smiling.

"That's what you've got for being born two days after Valentine's Day" she stuck her tongue at him and laughed.

"I'll make sure we'll get married in March, Miss, what do you think about March fourth?" he retorted playfully but it was enough to annoy her.

"No way will I get married on my birthday" she protested.

"In that case we can try the second or the sixth" he smirked.

"I hate you!!!" she exclaimed but couldn't keep the frown in her face.

"Honey, we already cleared how much you love me. It even makes you cry" he smirked and not giving time for her to answer back as he reached for her lips and kissed her passionately.

* * *

Everything had been so fast in the past couple of days. Julian was there during her sonogram but much to her surprise he was also there when she left Dr. Nash's office after the mammogram. The exam showed the nodes had disappeared and the big smile in her face as she jumped on him proved that thankfully everything was fine with her and all they needed was to wait the blood tests to confirm it.

"We should start picking up some names" she suggested as they entered the house. Though it was his birthday and she now felt more inclined to a celebration, he assured her the best gift he could get was the news they received earlier that day and they settled for another night at the house.

"Maybe we should start with the surnames" he offered and she looked at him as if he had three heads "Well we never really discussed if you are going to be Mrs. Norris, Mrs. Davis or Mrs. Davis-Norris so we should start from there actually"

"Are you keeping the Norris?" she asked and he just nodded quietly. She never asked why he only changed his name for professional purposes but still kept his father surname.

"But I guess Davis-Baker has a better ring on it" she pondered while she muttered both combinations. "Davis-Norris sort of rhymes. It is cheesy"

"You can keep your name, I really don't mind" he shrugged but she knew better and she also wanted to have his name.

"I guess picking up names is much more exciting. We already agreed that we won't get married before the baby is born so I guess we have time to decide the surnames. And there are only three combinations while the names is a totally different story"

"I don't like anything different and I actually like Bible names" he suggested.

"Really?" she asked surprised. Julian was anything but a religious person.

"Yeah, it is a nice thing I guess" he smiled.

"Okay. Well I guess I don't know any Bible names" she confessed.

"Really? What about Mary, Rachel, John, Joseph, Jacob, David, Rebecca, Matthew, James, Ruth, Eva?" he smiled, leading her to blush a little. She really didn't know a lot about the Bible.

"Oops"

"What do you think about Noah? I've always liked it" he promptly suggested. For any stupid reason he had always loved that name though he never really thought he would have a son someday.

"I really like it and I actually know this story" her lips curved slightly and he thought she was just too cute for him to resist.

"And I really love you" he reached for her and kissed her lips softly.

"Noah Carter?" she said a few seconds later.

"It is a good option. What about Noah William?" he took a notebook from their nightstand drawer and took note of the names.

"Or Noah Michael like his daddy" she suggested and saw how his features changed, showing pride, happiness and excitement.

"Adding to the list" he offered her his perfect smile. "Noah doesn't need to be the first name if you like anything else"

"I guess we should be open to possibilities. I really like Gabriel, Aidan, Tristan, Alexander but my favorite is definitely Julian" she winked to her fiancé.

"As much as I'm flattered that you even considered my name I guess this one I may pass though I really like Gabriel and Tristan even though the latter is not biblical. I also like Samuel, Daniel and Joshua"

"Cut Daniel from the list and we are good" she informed him.

"So we've got Noah, Carter, William, Michael, Gabriel, Tristan, Samuel and Joshua. I guess we've made great in just a few minutes" he looked proudly at their list.

"Baby I don't want to disappoint you but that was just the first round and don't you think eight names is already a lot to consider?" she made her way to his lap and kissed him slowly.

"In this case I could keep getting you pregnant so we won't need to discard any name" his hands moved to under her top but not exactly to caress their baby.

"You are pretty aware that you can't get me pregnant while I am already pregnant, right?" she smiled and he looked at her with his best naughty look.

"I'm mastering my already perfect skills" he cockily added as he reached for her waistband.

"I am all for the practice" she smirked as he undressed her.

* * *

_AN: Hey guys._

_Well I am not really in the mood to write lately though the lines still keep coming easily to this story and Stockholm (btw I haven't even started the next chapter of that one but I hope to do it early in the next week) but then I've got a few reviews asking me to update and I couldn't do not update it :)_

_Thanks to everybody who reviewed and though I take criticizes very nicely I think to call my grammar atrocious was a bit too much. I know I make a lot of mistakes, I am Brazilian and Portuguese has really nothing to do with English but I read a lot of fics here and I can say that atrocious sounds a bit harsh compared to what I read around - which doesn't give me an excuse but as a foreigner sometimes I see that I make less mistakes than some natives. My beloved beta Ashley can't review my chapters now and she is not replaceable because I really like her. So I really hope you guys to have some patience with me and if you see a mistake that I keep making I really don't mind if you mention it in the reviews._

_So far so good for Brooke and Julian but how will things be when Lucas is back and moves temporarily to New York? And what happens when Brooke has some bad news and so does Julian?_

_The fic is in its final chapters and I can't believe it will be longer than forty chapters. I tend to think that long fics are tiring but I couldn't shorten this one._

_I hope you liked this chapter and I am sorry I am not mentioning all the people that reviewed but it is late here and I am very sleepy. But I do love your reviews and I hope you liked this chapter._

_Talk to you soon._

_Babi  
_


	38. Juker & Dimples: Lucas

**Lying Helpless in Her Arms**

**Chapter 37 - Lucas  
**

* * *

It was hard to explain how they ended up here.

Ever since his birthday everything went downhill. She had hidden from him her blood results and clearly had shut him down. But he couldn't believe that she had actually been able to hide from him that she had cancer. That wasn't something that he could easily forgive but nothing of that matter at that moment. He could lose her for good and that erased all the mistakes both of them ever made. He _couldn't_ lose her. He couldn't lose their baby either but he thought he would survive if Noah didn't make it but he knew for sure if Brooke died, he would die along, one way or the other.

Brooke started to shut Julian down more seriously when she had got the blood results. She didn't know why exactly she was doing that. She tried to convince herself that she needed to focus in both of the fashion shows but the last one happened over a month ago – her own being a huge success, worshiped by the media and the specialists. But all the success with the media and knowing that she also did a great job with the movie's show didn't change her reaction towards Julian.

Instead of dimming, the suspicious substances in her blood rose. Doctor Martin explained her that it could be caused by something else and that in the following month he would submit her to more detailed exams, in both of her breasts. She had done the mammography in both but she only made the ultrasound in one of them, the one she had showed the nodes in the first place. The pregnancy nodes, the ones caused by her hormones. Too bad the cancer cells were developing in the other one and by the time of her first mammography they were still too small but could be seen clearly in the second one.

Of course Julian wasn't there when Dr. Martin delivered her the terrible news. He also wasn't there when they went through the possibilities of treatment. And that was what led him to break up with her. For the past two months Brooke had barely talked to him. Surely they talked about the movie every day, the decoration of their new house, the names for the baby though both knew they had settled for Noah but that was it. She didn't talk about her feelings; she didn't let him be there in any of her appointments, not even with Dr. Nash. Actually he went there but only stayed during the sonogram. He protested, obviously, but Brooke had been adamant and told him that they shouldn't change their routine because she didn't want it to be jinxed. They both knew it was a lame excuse and Julian couldn't actually understand why she had changed so much.

Julian couldn't understand why she had hidden it from him and if Brooke was honest with herself, neither did she. For a brief while she truly believed in the jinx thing, though it wasn't related to Julian's presence in her appointments. At first she thought if she didn't say to anyone about the blood results nothing of this would become real, that she wouldn't be attracting anything bad to herself and the baby. But how she came from the childish belief to hiding from the man that she loved that she had cancer and was yet to start the treatment? That was the answer she didn't have but that she had tried to find many days before. The days where the guilt was overwhelming because of all of her lies. The days where he was nothing but perfect to her and she was a bitch and a liar in exchange.

She remembered how it all started again with the fake smiles that she had plastered during a significant part of her life. Maybe the disappointment that Julian couldn't read through her façade had been the push she needed to keep hiding it from him, especially when Lucas came.

Lucas, the guy certainly had a great timing. Damn it, life had a great timing she thought when she opened her front door someday and to find the brooding writer standing there. He had a meeting with his editor in New York and it had to be the day Julian had to travel to Los Angeles. It had to be when Haley and Jamie had decided to travel with Nathan because of the NBA playoffs, after all it had been a long time since the Knicks were part of it. The blond man didn't have any idea of all the others whereabouts because both trips were decided at the spur of the moment, probably while he was already on his way to the Big Apple. Nathan slid the two tickets in his hand as Haley's eyes were teary not only because he wanted them to be there but especially because she was very proud of him. Julian in the other hand couldn't actually predict his lead man death in a car accident. If only he wasn't superstitious himself he would have already shot the last scene between Juliet and Charles and wouldn't find himself in that position. There were few scenes to be shot and all of them weren't important except the last one. One of the biggest scenes of the movie. It led him to travel to LA to talk to the powers that be and to leave Brooke to greet Lucas in their doorway.

And surely Lucas was the guy that would always ruin any of Brooke's relationships. He had came a few days after the cancer was confirmed and the fake smile that worked with everyone, including Haley, failed with her teenage boyfriend.

_

* * *

Two weeks ago_

"_Ms. Davis there is a man here to see you. His name is Lucas Scott" the doorman announced to Brooke and she was thankful for living in an apartment instead of a house. She had some seconds to collect herself while she met the man that once broke her heart almost beyond repair._

"_Lucas" she barely voice as the elevator doors opened._

"_Brooke" his voice also failed as he saw her belly. Lucas had been promoting his book in Europe and actually didn't know about Brooke's pregnancy. In the western countries of the old land he didn't find himself watching TV or paying any attention to the gossip magazines' headlines. Not that Brooke pregnancy would make the news there either._

_There was a silence between the ex-lovers that while wasn't comfortable wasn't awkward either. It was just one of those moments of astonishment while the shock subsides. Surely they were shocked for totally different reasons but they still shared that sort of chemistry that was hard to explain. The one Brooke worked hard to forget and Lucas took too long to realize._

"_You're pregnant" he whispered matter-of-factly only a step away of the elevator behind him. The biggest reaction he had been able to do in those minutes was stepping out of the lift._

"_I thought with all the media coverage about how Victoria disowned me and threatened to even take my company away from me had been enough to let everybody knows about it" she offered and the vulnerability she hated to show around him was evident in her voice._

"_So I guess you and Julian are indeed serious" he nodded his head while holding a resigned gaze._

"_At least you know about the baby's daddy" she smiled tightly._

"_Yeah" Lucas shoved his hands in his pockets._

"_Do you want to come in?" she offered after another couple of minutes. Lucas obviously was brooding. He couldn't help himself. His mind seemed to have its own will and before he realized it he was drifting away in his many thoughts._

"_Sure" he nodded and both headed inside the penthouse._

"_Sorry I didn't give you any notice. I just arrived from Prague and I tried to talk to Nathan and Haley but it was no avail" he explained himself yet to know how he felt about the woman in front of him knowing that she was pregnant with another man's child._

"_They are on their way to Miami, Knicks made it to the playoffs" she uncomfortably clarified._

"_So I've heard"_

"_Take a seat" she offered as herself sat down._

"_How far along are you?" he tried to articulate a sort of coherent question._

"_Twenty-four weeks"_

"_Do you know the sex?" he tried to catch up the best he could._

"_Yeah, we are having a boy. Jamie couldn't be more excited about having another boy around though Julian said he would have preferred a girl because he misses Lily"_

"_We all miss that girl" Lucas offered somewhat shocked to know that Julian knew Jamie to this extend. Surely his godson wasn't shy but if Jamie said something to Julian that he didn't share with his godmother, Julian had to be someone close to the boy._

"_How are they, by the way? It's been a while since I talked to Karen" Brooke felt more comfortable changing the subject to third parties but was yet to be totally okay._

"_They are great, still in New Zealand. They had traveled just after Christmas and are yet to come back"_

_Another silence filled the room and it seemed to speak volumes to each of the people sitting there._

"_I guess congratulations are in order" he offered realizing that he hadn't done it before._

"_Thank you" and for the first time since he arrived he had seen a genuine Brooke Davis smile._

"_I'm sorry for coming all of sudden. It seems like it wasn't the best of the ideas" he finally acknowledged the tension since his arrival._

"_It's okay, don't worry. It definitely surprised me, more like shocked, but it's okay" another small smile was in place._

"_Pregnancy suits you, Brooke, as I always knew it would. You're glowing and even more beautiful" and it was his turn to offer something honest and actually joyful._

_Immediately the tears that had been there just a little before he arrived were making their way out of her ducts again. She was supposed to glow and not take chemotherapy._

"_Hey, hey, what happened?" Lucas jumped from his seat that was purposefully the farthest from hers and moved to her side._

"_Hormones. They turned me into this pathetic whiny girl that cries for everything" she sniffed avoiding looking at his face._

"_Is everything okay, Brooke?" he asked concerned knowing the girl next to him too well._

"_Sure" her eyes couldn't meet his. Not that before the mention of her pregnancy glow they were actually looking for his._

"_It took me a while. Actually I couldn't be any more late but I finally learned how to read you, Brooke Davis" he stretched his hand shyly and touched her for the first time in so many years._

"_I don't know what you're talking about" she looked away from his hand on hers but kept her manicured fingers in the same position, feeling the warmth of his touch._

"_As a teenager I couldn't be more oblivious but I'm not that boy anymore Brooke and as much as I know you're not that girl I can still see the fear and the pain that I used to mix with confusion and lack of trust" he offered a smile that while wasn't big was still genuine._

"_It doesn't matter now, does it?" she tried to change where that conversation was going. From the corner of her eye she could see how Lucas was denuding her, just like Julian was an expert to do but seemed to have failed lately._

"_Actually it does because I'm seeing it again" his fingers rubbed hers slightly. It wasn't a move or flirting. It was just comforting and seemed honestly friendly._

"_It's just that I haven't seen you in a long time, Lucas. I guess I'm entitled to have a revival of that fear and pain" she tried to evade, moving her hand away from his, plastering another one of her empty smiles._

"_I guess it's too early for me to have a right to push you to know what's going on but just know that I can see that something is wrong and that you can count on me if you need to" he briefly rested his hand on her knee before standing up and moving back to his seat._

"_Thanks Lucas, but things couldn't be any better" she lied through her lips._

"_It's nice to see you again, Brooke" and seeing the smile that she had loved for so many years she knew that this time she wouldn't be able to hide behind her smiles, at least not from him._

* * *

For reasons that she was yet to understand Brooke had offered Lucas to stay with her and Julian even though her fiancé had only found out about it one day before coming from LA.

It had been one of the biggest reasons why Julian had finally decided to have a break. Lucas had had a lot of meetings in those days while he and his editor made the final adjustments in his new book and also worked in the tour and the promotion of the book. The producer was pissed and jealous. His first instinct about Lucas Scott had always been to beat the shit out of him for everything that he had caused to Brooke but when she admitted that the blond man was staying in their apartment for over a week and would stay for another two or three all the violent instincts were erased and gave room to jealousy.

In the first time they talked some days after Julian was back, Lucas made it clear that he wasn't there for getting Brooke back and that he would stay with his brother and best friend if they weren't then heading to Los Angeles where the Knicks would play their first NBA final in many years to count. While it eased Julian a bit, it still disturbed the raven haired man that Brooke seemed closer to Lucas than to him.

_

* * *

The Day Before_

_It had been the last straw when in the night before he had arrived home with the worst possible news from the studio to find his soon-to-be-wife in the arms of the man she had loved crying her lungs off. It didn't help that Lucas shook his head slightly as if asking Julian to back off. How could he back off from his own fiancée when it seemed like her world was falling apart?_

_Surely by that time Julian was more than used to Brooke sudden tears show. But it was always something mild and actually the rarely moments where she communicated a little with him. But she was sobbing at Lucas Scott's arms and the way she held the writer with her life broke Julian's heart._

_Julian waited for hours until Lucas had finally went to the guests' room. He had to watch the man he hated the most to be there for his woman and he knew there was nothing he could do about it. But that was more than he could take in that moment. He finally took the decision to break up for sake of their relationship and to do not lead her to have any other concerns during her already complicated pregnancy._

"_My father had been in the studio today" he said as he entered their bedroom._

"_What did he want?" she asked concerned. She knew Paul was a sensitive subject for Julian._

"_He came to make it clear that I'm not able to fix this and that the studio needed him to make this movie"_

"_It's is not your fault that Josh died" Brooke offered sympathetically._

"_Well it doesn't really matter now. Actually I want to talk to you about something else" he decided that it would be better for both of them if he went straight to the point instead of walking around it._

"_Sure" she sat on the bed actually worried about the tone of his voice and the look at his face._

"_I'm moving to the Hamptons" he blurted._

"_What?" she asked shocked moving her hand to her swelled belly._

"_We aren't in a relationship for months Brooke. We have just been living in the same house and now that he is here" he had to stop and control his temper at the mention of Lucas "I guess you need me even less. Maybe we moved too fast and I have so much in my plate now. Dealing with Lucas Scott on a daily basis isn't what I really need"_

"_I could ask for him to leave" her heart beat rapidly. If Julian was this hurt and willing to leave her because of Lucas what would he do when he knew the truth about her condition?_

"_No. You clearly need him around" Julian shook his forcefully._

"_I don't need anyone but you, Julian, especially now" her voice cracked not only because of the prospect of a breakup but also because about the revelation she was going to do. She couldn't go another day lying to the man she loved and the news she had got that afternoon was more than she could take alone._

"_But I need to leave Brooke" his defeated voice showed her the truth in his words._

_"So I guess this makes what I have to say much easier" she suddenly changed her tone to a harsh one._

_"Serious Brooke I am not up to any games. I am a shadow of a man and you don't need to make things worse" he confessed hoping that the love he still believed she had for him would actually make her give him what he needed._

_"It developed into something else" she whispered and it took him a few seconds to understand what she had was talking about and he only realized it because he saw the tears falling compulsively down on her face._

_"It is too near to my lymph nodes and they had suggested a very aggressive treatment that could lead to miscarriage or cause the baby some harm. I didn't give them an answer because I knew it wasn't only my decision to make as I was your soon-to-be-fiancée but as I am not this anymore the decision is taken. My wellbeing doesn't concern you, only the baby's so you don't have a word in this as I had decided that I won't do the treatment" while the tears rolled down her face she held a strong gaze._

"_What?" Julian sat at the armchair by the corner of their bedroom._

"_I'm not taking the treatment, Julian, I'm going there tomorrow to let them know" she told him decidedly._

* * *

Julian couldn't sleep for one minute that night. He could now understand why she had been crying in Lucas' arms. She needed any arms when she arrived home and Lucas just happened to be there before him. He had totally misread the moment the southern friends shared and he couldn't feel worse about the decision he took.

He had tried to take it back but Brooke didn't accept. She asked him to leave and let him know about the appointments she would have in the following day with Dr. Nash and Dr. Martin, making it clear to him that he was welcomed only in the former as her healthy condition wasn't any of his concern anymore, just Noah's.

It was the day of their first 4D sonogram. Being twenty-six weeks along would already allow them to see a lot of their boy and what was supposed to be one of the happiest days of her pregnancy was anything but happy.

"He already has your illegal grin and also your chin" she opened up to Julian softened by her baby's face that seemed to look so alike his father.

"And what he will have from you? What will be the living remind that I failed to you? That I no longer have you and that you are gone forever? I just hope God isn't so torturing and gives him your dimples because I swear I will never be able to look at his face and do not remember of you. I am not even sure I won't resent him though I know I should resent you instead because he hadn't chosen to be born and live. You had decided to die so I should resent and hate you for this except that I love you so much to actually hate you" Julian poured down his heart to the woman he had dreamed the most beautiful dreams of a happy and perfect life together.

"Julian it's not time and place" Brooke whispered looking up to the doctor and the nurse that were also in the room.

"Let me know about the next appointment" the crushed man said as he stood up and greeted the doctor before leaving.

Julian was hurt for all the lies and how Brooke hadn't trusted him enough to let him be a part of this with her. They were engaged for God's sake and while it really hurt him, it wasn't the biggest reason why he decided to leave the doctor's room. The possibility of losing her was.

Julian was unable to deal with it in that moment and he had remembered the words the doctor had said before and repeated just some minutes ago about how Brooke shouldn't stress herself. As much as Julian knew their breakup and her decision were hurting her he decided that it would hurt her and the baby less if he just backed off. He didn't want to fight with her when her condition was so ticklish. He knew she would head to Dr. Martin and that she would choose to potentially die instead of fighting and he couldn't handle that now. But that was never the decision Brooke took and Julian would found out about it a little bit too late.

She indeed headed to the oncologist appointment but thinking all over the past night she had come to a different decision that she was willing to share with Julian if he hadn't been so fast to leave her during the sonogram.

"Are you sure about this Brooke?" Dr. Martin confirmed for the second or third time.

"Positive. I know about all the risks but I guess it is my best shot, Dr." she told him confidently hoping that her decision would give her and Julian a chance because deep in her heart she knew they loved each other too much to just let it go. She knew she had hurt him too much this time with her lies and the decision he thought she had took but she would prove him that she cherishes him more than anything in her life. Maybe even more than Noah.

* * *

Brooke had really tried to let Julian know about her decision but in the past two weeks it had been impossible to talk to him. A few days after the sonogram he had traveled to Wilmington as she already expected. Nat and Isabel had been calling her non-stop and though they avoided to talk about Julian and wanted only to know about her and the baby she still knew how devastated he was. But today he was coming over to take the rest of his belongings and she hoped that they would finally take all the amends they needed to do.

When she arrived from the hospital with Lucas, Julian was almost done with his packing. He tried to be civil and even nice to her but the pain was still too evident.

"Brooke, Lucas" he politely told them as he collected some of his things in the living room such as his family frames and some of his DVD's barely looking at the duo.

"Julian" Lucas said in the same tone while he helped Brooke to seat and it took Julian's attention. She was clearly not well and it worried the raven haired man more than he was willing to show. She seemed pale and too weak and he had to look away to avoid the thoughts that had populated his mind for the past two weeks.

"I guess that's all, I'm going to leave" he told leaving part of the things he was going to take behind. He had to leave. He wanted to ask her what was wrong but the prospect of the answer was too painful so he rather ran.

"Do you think we could talk before you leave?" she talked for the first time and her voice just confirmed his suspicious. It was raspier than usual and it seemed like she had to make a lot of effort to actually utter those words.

"What's there to talk Brooke?" he didn't sound angry but defeated and impatient at the same time.

"Lucas, please, leave us alone" Brooke asked her friend.

"No Brooke, you need to rest, you had a hard day today. Why don't you come later, Julian?" he told to one brunette and then turned to the other.

"Please Lucas, if I need you, I'll call you. I'm okay" she pleaded and he only nodded leaving the room not before kissing her head.

"The boy that nearly destroyed your life can be here for you. You can forgive me but you can't forgive me?" he busted as he saw the caress between the brunettes.

"He cheated on you, Brooke. He wasn't there for you when you needed. I tried to be there for you, I tried to do everything for you but you wouldn't let me and now you just receive him in your house with arms wide open and yet you refuse to see me unless you have a gynecologist appointment!"

"He is my friend" Brooke retorted defending the only friend she had in that moment. She had refused to let Haley know about everything that was going on while Nathan was living something so special and that he had worked so hard to.

"He wants you! He is here to have a chance with you again" he yelled though he knew it was true and even if it was Brooke wouldn't give in but his jealous was somewhat uncontrollable.

"Whatever he wants at least he won't yell at me! He will accept whatever I can give to him" she didn't even know why she was making that conversation about Lucas when what she had to talk to him was much more important.

"How am I supposed to react if you won't let me be around you? If you won't let me be around my baby! I don't want to have five minutes with him while we are in a doctor's office. He is my son too. I want him to know my voice and I want to talk to him but you won't let me get around you. You only have crumbs to me while you serve a fucking feast to him" his voice had lowered but was still loud.

"I don't own you anything other than let you be part of the baby's life. Once he is born you will have your share of time with him alone. Sorry if I can't detach him from me for you to talk to him because it is hard for me!!!!! Do you think it's easy to do not have you around? Do you think it's easy to have you caressing my belly and kissing it like you used to do knowing that you are only around because of the baby?" she cried and while her voice now seemed stronger than before her whole frame seemed even weaker.

"I'm around because of you, Brooke!!!! Why can't you understand? I did nothing but be there for you every step of the way but you wouldn't let me get close to you. You wouldn't talk to me, you would have sex when I tried to have an adult conversation with you. You prohibited me of going to the oncologist with you. You kicked me out of your life but kept me under your roof so you could satisfy your sex cravings! You used sex to shut me up as if I wasn't good enough to be your husband, but only your toy boy. How do you think I feel? I almost screwed my career because of you and how I was paid back? You shut me out and brought him to live with you. Damn it Brooke all I want is to be with you. If it ever comes to a decision when things get nasty and someone comes to me, I would save you. If I had to choose between the baby and you I would choose you. I don't even need to think about it because I love you more than anything else." Julian looked deep in her eyes but seeing nothing but a dull expression "All I want is you" he sat at the couch in front of her and burying his head on his hands he cried seeing the teardrops hitting the floor.

Brooke was motionless in her position. Julian had said all the right words and she just wanted to say something back. She just wanted to confess how much she wanted and needed him. But she couldn't. She was physically incapable of formulating sentences and taking all strength she had left she murmured his name "Julian…" the sharp pain in her chest intensified and the air seemed to do not reach her lungs.

Julian looked up to see her with her hand over her heart and the same dull expression but he could clearly see that now she was having trouble to breath.

"Brooke, what happened?" he jumped from his position and reached for her. She was white as paper and in no time she fell in his arms. "Brooklyn" he cried holding her motionless body.

After a five seconds shock he was calling 911 and explaining what happened to Brooke.

"Lucas!!!!!!" he yelled and in no time the blond was in the living room.

"What happened?" Lucas asked desperately as he seen Julian compressing her chest.

"They think she had a heart attack. It is my fault, it is my damn fault" Julian cried while he breathed out in her mouth a few times and come back to massaging her chest.

"Let me do it" Lucas told Julian but he ignored "I have a heart condition. I've already had three heart attacks to date so I guess I know better how to deal with it" he reasoned and Julian let go of her body.

Lucas indeed seemed much practiced in the procedures than Julian. Surely he couldn't do it to himself while he was unconscious but his family had made CPR training after his last arrest a little over than a year ago. While he massaged the chest of girl he had loved Julian sat on the floor sobbing violently.

Lucas was still working on her chest when the paramedics invaded her penthouse. It had taken them nearly five minutes to make it to her house. It was a good think that it was past the rush of New York rush on Mondays but seeing them trying to reanimate her and yelling things he couldn't understand was just more than he could take so he cried.

_

* * *

AN: Well guys, sorry for the delay. There is no big reason behind it except that I really didn't feel in the mood to write. I write these stories because they are a pleasure to write but from the moment writing had become a burden, I couldn't bring myself to actually write but I know it is not fair with all of you that invested your time reading and reviewing these stories so here I am. I am going to complete this one and even _Stockholm_ that I just started, just give me a bit more time.__  
_

_This chapter didn't change because of my mood. Actually it did but not in the way that you may be thinking now. It is a shocker, I know – and I love it – and all the hints were small up to this moment. I commented in one of my previous AN that both Julian and Brooke would get bad news, I mentioned Lucas and in the last chapter we could see the first signs of what Brooke would do if things got ugly. Nothing new by the way. She always shuts herself when things are bad. The only change that actually happened is that it would probably take two chapters or three to get from Valentine's day to the day she almost died but as writing is not my forte lately, I decided to only report the facts concisely instead of writing them. If it seemed rushed I am sorry about it because I am not sure how much time would actually take me to finish this story if I did it the other way around. This is the destination that I had chosen ever since I had that lack of ideas by the time they got together and that I thought about ending the story there. The whole cancer during her pregnancy was the plot that I came out with by the time and ever since them all I had to do was to develop the ideas. Portions of this chapter and the following two are written for weeks. The key moments actually because I already knew where I wanted it to lead so I just had to fill the facts in the between :)_

_I hope that you enjoyed this sad and dramatic chapter and I couldn't help but let the cliffhanger :)_

_I know I have no rights to ask because of my delay but I would really appreciate some reviews to know how you feel about this twist, especially to know how would you feel about possible fatalities._

_Thanks for my dearest reviewers:__ cheerychris; Grace; Mary Garland; Satcher; sb1218; Artemi; NicoleDavis92x; __haleydavisbaker and Katie._

_Talk to you soon, Babi. _


	39. Juker & Dimples: Family

**Lying Helpless in Her Arms**

**Chapter 38 - Family  
**

* * *

"She's going to be okay" Lucas offered to a devastated Julian that couldn't do more than rest his tired head in his cold sweat wet hands.

"I did it to her. I gave the woman I love a heart attack because she didn't fight for her life. How ironic and twisted does it sound? I accused her of trying to kill herself and I'm the one who ended up doing it" Julian's voice was filled of pain. It was tortured. He replayed the facts of the past weeks in his head and nothing of that made sense.

"That's not your fault, Julian" Lucas tried to assure the raven-haired man.

"You wouldn't know. I promised her I'd be there for her. I promised her I'd never leave her but I failed. I failed her and I failed my son. Maybe that's why I might lose both of them now. I don't deserve her and I'm definitely not prepared to be a dad" he sighed resigned in guilt.

"You know that's not true. You're not responsible for her being there. Do I think you failed her? Yeah, I may agree with you on that one but who am I to say anything to someone that hurt and abandoned Brooke? But she loves you man, and she'll forgive you" the writer showed partially his own pain ever since they arrived at the hospital.

"That if she's alive to actually do it" he smirked sarcastically "That's why I don't deserve her. She has this biggest heart, and I know she'll forgive me but you want to know something crazy? I don't want her forgiveness. I don't deserve it. And if it means anything, I'll trade her forgiveness for her life" a few more tears rolled down his face.

"Who's here for Brooke Davis?" the doctor announced as he passed through the double doors.

"We are" Julian jumped from his place towards the young man.

"Who are you?" the doctor interrogated.

"Julian Norris, her fiancé"

"They're stable now but I guess she won't wake up soon. Do you know if she's taking any medicine?"

"Only pregnancy vitamins" Julian relieved sigh. She was okay.

"Actually she is" Lucas offered quietly from behind Julian.

"And you are?" the doctor asked curious.

"Her friend. I've been bringing her to do her cancer treatment at the hospital. The nurses at the Oncology wing will recognize me" Lucas explained.

"Do you know her medication?"

"I don't but her oncologist is Dr. Fabian Martin, he might be able to provide you more information. But why is it important now?" the fear in his voice showed that he had known all along that it had something to do with her new treatment. She told him briefly about the risks and how she was willing to take them.

"You've just confirmed our suspicious. She had a medicine reaction. Or maybe rejection. Her body didn't accept the drug or the stress caused her the heart attack" the man explained trusting that Lucas could have this piece of information.

"So I really caused it to her" Julian sighed and a new batch of tears shimmered in his eyes.

"Actually you didn't Mr. Norris. I don't know what you're talking about but I'm talking about how her system is overwhelmed by the reactions and the drugs. If you want to see her, talk to that nurse, I'm going to talk to Dr. Martin" the doctor cordially suggested and left both men standing in the waiting room.

"Is she taking a treatment?" Julian asked surprised to Lucas.

"Yeah" he nodded "She had been adamant on her decision and on making me hide it from everybody"

"But she said she wouldn't risk the baby's life. She said she wouldn't kill our baby" Julian's world seemed to be back spinning and he had to find a seat again. When would it all end and Brooke and he would finally have their happily ever after?

"That's not my story to tell you but I can assure you... she did it more for you than to herself" Lucas looked to the ceiling, blinking frenetically to dry his own tears away. It could have been him. It would have been him, hasn't he being so blind and stupid when she had loved him. When he was the one that Brooke would do anything for. Except that he really doubted that she ever loved someone like she loved Julian.

"I'm an idiot" Julian buried his head in his hands again. As much as he was relieved that she was stable and that their fight may have not worsened things, he felt guiltier than ever. She was willing to risk her life for him but he couldn't be by her side because of her lies and denial to get treated. Lucas had become the least of his problems now. Especially because the blond had probably saved the most important person in Julian's life. Strangely enough this situation made him realize that Brooke wouldn't come back to the writer. She had told him many times that she loved _him_, she accepted _his _proposal, she was carrying _his _child. Why would she back to the man that nearly destroyed her heart forever? He had been stupid to think about it in the first place, but that hadn't been the reason why he stepped away.

Feeling like she was signing her death certificate and that she had kept it from him hurt more than any other thing. Why would she keep from him that she was sick? Why had she shut him down as if she didn't trust him enough to be there for her? Why had she decided to sacrifice her own life to keep their baby's? Except that now he knew she hadn't. He needed to talk to Dr. Martin; he needed to know what happened in the past couple of weeks.

"When did she start the treatment?" Julian turned to Lucas that also seemed to be lost in his thoughts.

"The day you traveled to North Carolina" Lucas gave in. Julian already knew she was being treated. He was sure she would explain him her reason but there wasn't any reason why he should keep it from Julian now that the man in front of him seemed even more miserable.

Lucas had planned to be back in Brooke's life for a long time but he wasn't prepared to face this turmoil of emotions.

While he convinced himself to face it that she had finally moved on and had a man in her life, finding out she was engaged and pregnant had been a shock. As if it wasn't already too much for him to take, then he found out she was deadly sick. When he thought his worst nightmare was losing the only woman he truly loved in his life to another man, he found out that losing her definitively was unbearable.

He had been strong for her but he wasn't stupid. He knew he was partially responsible for Julian leaving the house. Surely, hiding from your fiancé that you have cancer and letting him know that you won't get any treatment and possibly die would be enough to push anyone away but he knew his presence in their house didn't help anything.

In the previous night, when they arrived at home and found Julian there, he could see in the producer's eyes how painful it was to see Brooke with him. He didn't know Julian that much, actually they had barely talked while both lived briefly under the same roof but he could say he was a decent man. Seeing Julian hurt didn't cause Lucas any pain but seeing that it worsened Brooke already devastated condition shattered his heart in more pieces than he could count. It had already been painful as it could be to see Brooke so hurt but when she saw Julian at the penthouse it intensified even more and Lucas had to look away.

And now; not many hours after it, he looked again to the man whose feelings didn't affect him before and felt his own heart shrinking at the sight. Nobody deserved to go through what Julian was going now and if Brooke loved that man so much it meant that the Californian deserved this situation less than anyone else. So he decided he'd help Julian. He had already made Brooke unhappy many times before and he owned her to make something that would help her to be happy.

"She tried three different treatments so far and her body seems to have rejected them all. This last one, that she started three days ago, it's a new drug and she volunteered herself to be part of the trial. It had sucked all the strength in her. I've never seen Brooke so faint in my whole life and I'm pretty sure this drug was the one that caused her the heart attack because they're yet to know all the side effects" Lucas finally told Julian who had his jar agape.

"Is she in a trial?" he asked as if he couldn't understand what Lucas was saying.

"Dr Martin and Dr Nash had explained all the risks to her and she had decided that she would start with the treatments that were more unlike to harm the baby. They had already told her that they wouldn't be enough to treat her but she wanted to give it a shot. The first one only caused her pain, vomiting and dizziness. After one week they moved to the second that her body rejected fully, she had taken it only twice and had presented risky side effects. Then she started this new one and that's what happened"

"Why not surgery?" Julian asked. He had talked to Isabella and made as much internet research as possible and even had his sister calling some of the best oncologists in the country. He knew surgery would give her some time.

"That's the pre-op she needed. They needed to kill some cells and then remove the nodes. Dr Martin told he had seen few cases where the disease developed so fast. It seems like although she's still a stage II she has more than expected nodes spread in her breast. They aren't very big but they seem to be very numerous" Lucas shared everything he knew about it. He was sure there was more because Brooke being Brooke would hide something.

"Lucas, Julian" Dr Martin announced to the two desolate men.

"Fabian! Thanks God, how is she?" Lucas jumped from his spot. He had tried to hold back his emotions the best he could but seeing the man that would tell him what happened to Brooke was more than he could hold back for Julian.

"I'm yet to see her. I just got here but they're running tests on her as we talk. Dr. Reeves explained briefly what happened to her. We are positive the new medication caused her a reaction and this reaction led to the heart attack" the doctor explained.

It surprised Julian that not only Dr Martin called the blond by his name but so did Lucas. He felt like a third wheel in his own fiancé life in that moment but he brushed those selfish and insignificant thoughts away and turned to the doctor.

"Lucas explained briefly what Brooke had decided to do. Are there any other possibilities? Is there anything that we can do to save her and possibly the baby too?" Julian pleaded to the physician in front of him.

"Actually, there isn't much. Unfortunately Brooke seems to be allergic and reactive to most of the medications available in the treatment. The baby just makes the situation worse but even if she wasn't pregnant, it's a challenging case." The man explained calmly to both of the broken men.

"We tried to treat her, prepare her to a surgery and give the baby a few more weeks but we barely got two weeks. She's still twenty-eight weeks along and I'm not even sure that inducing labor or doing a C-section would give Brooke much better chances" he concluded.

"So are you telling me that regardless of the baby she's going to die?" Lucas was the first to be able to voice something.

"Not exactly. We are going to run some labs and see how the nodes had reacted to this medication. Brooke had told before that as long as we could control the side effects she was willing to keep going on with the treatment if it worked. We didn't know she would have a heart attack but now we do, so if the treatment is efficient to kill the cancer cells, we might continue with it for three more weeks and then do the surgery"

"You're kidding, right?" Julian widened his eyes and sounded more serious than he ever remembered being.

"Unfortunately, I'm not, Julian. Brooke had been clear about her choices and that's what we have agreed before any of this. We'll give her some medication that we hope will help with the heart condition and we'll monitor her closely to see how it goes. That if the medication got the results we expected"

"What if it didn't?" the producer whispered and this time he hadn't been able to even look at the doctor, keeping his eyes in the wall by his side, opposite to where Lucas and Fabian were.

"It's soon to think about it yet, Julian. This new medication is supposed to be the most effective we have for cases like Brooke's and I'm hopeful that although it caused her harm, it had actually helped with the cancer cells"

"What other side effects could she have?" this time was Lucas that made the question, looking as bad as Julian did.

"Actually we don't know. This trial is still recent and we're yet identifying the side effects and trying to associate them with patients' already existing conditions, for example, Brooke's sensitivity to the drugs"

"So she could have or develop anything for all you know?" Julian eyes watered again. Not that they ever been totally dry ever since he had met her again some hours ago but now they were wetter.

"I wouldn't be so drastic but she can present totally unexpected conditions from now on"

"When is it the part where you say that it'll be okay? That you'll do the best you can and that the best you can could actually give her big chances to make it?" the tears rolled down Julian's face.

"I'm already doing my best Julian and I wish I had something more promising to say to you now but I don't. I can't measure yet her chances because I'm yet to find out how the cancer cells reacted to the medication. It's too soon to see any significant change but we'll monitor her on a daily basis and I guess in ten days we'll be able to say how efficient it had been to Brooke"

"So you can't even say it now?" the vulnerability in Julian's voice was heartbreaking. Dr Martin had been an oncologist for many years but few patients had touched his heart as the man in front of him now.

"Unfortunately, no" he answered defeated.

"I'd like to see her now" Julian wiped his tears partially and the doctor nodded, stretching his arm to show the way.

"I'll wait here. Do you think we should call Haley? Do you want me to call your family?" Lucas offered trying to help the best he could and suck up his own pain.

"No. I just want to be with her. The rest can wait. Thank you, Lucas, for everything, not only for today but for all those days" Julian honestly offered to Lucas who nodded and walked back to the seats were they had been sitting before.

* * *

Julian followed the doctor quietly. None of them said anything. Julian had many questions to do but most of them couldn't be answered by the doctor or anyone else. Why? Why Brooke and him? Why their baby? Why was everything so hard and painful? Why couldn't they have a break? Why did it seem like there weren't any good news for them?

"You can spend the night" Dr Martin offered as they entered the room "Or the rest of it" he looked at his watch that showed that soon the sun would rise.

"Thank you, Dr Martin"

"Call me Fabian. Brooke told me that if we were trying something so important that could save a lot of people's lives in addition to her own, we were a team so we should be on a first name basis" the man harmfully offered to Julian, showing a small smile.

Julian only nodded and the man left the room without further words. Slowly as if it were miles instead of feet separating them, he reached Brooke peaceful frame.

"Hi, Dimples. It's me, Julls" he reached for her hand caressing it softly. "I'm here, Honey, I know I'm really late, but I'm here now" his free hand moved to her beautiful face.

He mumbled some more words. He started saying how the kids had missed her during his last trip to Wilmington. Then he told how the studio had been pressuring him and his father to work around his lead man's death and how his father barely acknowledged him in the process.

"I need you here, Brooklyn. I need you here so I can be strong. I need you here so I can be hopeful. I need you here so I can breath, Honey. I can't seem to know how live by myself anymore. Without you everything seems so wrong and hard and complicated. It's like you're my angel. My guiding star. My conscience. I need you, Brooklyn. I need you by my side and I'm going to need every other day of my life. I just need you. I don't need to be a producer, I don't need another family, I don't need my life to have any meaning but you, so just save me one more time and don't die, okay?" Julian opened up his heart to her and he hoped she was able to listen to him because he wasn't sure he'd be able to voice it again and that was something that he certainly needed her to know.

Letting the hand that held her face drop, he leaned over their connected hands while the other slipped down her body until it rested over her swollen belly. His body was shaking as he cried but then he realized he wasn't the only one moving. Raising his head slowly he looked at her oversized stomach.

"Hey Buddy" he sniffled feeling his son moving under his hand. "It's Daddy here"

The baby seemed like he couldn't stop moving and Julian kept talking to his little man. He had realized that he wasn't alone anymore. He had realized that regardless of how bad things had been Isabella, Nat and anyone else that he had called family for so many years weren't his family anymore. He had Brooke and he had their son. And unlike what he had said to her a couple of weeks ago he knew now that if something went wrong with Brooke, he still had Noah. He had someone that was totally dependable on him and in that moment he felt totally dependable on the life growing inside of the woman he loved. The life that they created together. Nobody ever mentioned that if Brooke… that if Brooke wasn't able to make it, that Noah would die too. While his little man would be in a lot of pain if he was born that night, he already had a lot of chances of surviving. It had seemed so easy to choose Brooke's life over Noah's when he found out about her condition but now that his son desperately moved under his hand to make himself noticed Julian realized that it really didn't matter who died, both ways his family would have been destroyed and maybe beyond repair.

If he lost Brooke, his life would be so empty and hard. Just like he told her, he had learned to depend on her; he got used to have her around, sharing everything with her, counting on her all the time. He thought that if he lost her his life wouldn't ever make sense again and that slowly, inside-out, he would die too.

But what if he lost Noah? The boy that he was yet to meet. The boy that he was yet to lay his eyes on. The boy that changed everything. Surely, Brooke and he could have as many children as they wanted if something went wrong with Noah, even if not growing in Brooke's body, but his family would still have been broken. His heart would miss a part for the rest of his life and a void would always be there. A void that not even Brooke and all the children in the world would be able to fill.

"I need you too, Buddy and if you need me, Daddy is here. I hope Mommy will be here too, but if she's not, if the Angels in the sky decide that she is too precious for them to be away from, you'll have me and I'll have you and I know I'll always have a part of her in you. I love you, Noah; Daddy loves you" Julian caressed her belly and then moved to kiss it softly.

As science would predict, Julian's words didn't stop or fasten Noah movements in his mother's belly. The fetus surely could recognize his father's voice but he didn't know what the words meant. Julian didn't find strength to say any other words so he intensified the grip on Brooke's hand. He remembered how she loved when he kissed her hands and he could see the endearing look in her face as he did it. He moved his lips to her soft skin and kissed it. It wasn't simply soft. It was filled of love. It was as if he was kissing her lips instead of her hand, like one of the kisses they shared so many times. He slid his lips on her palm instead of only smacking it. It was a kiss like he never gave in her delicate hands. The inside side of his bottom lip ran slowly in her porcelain cutis. It was intense and even sexy though sex was the last thing Julian thought at the moment. But being sex the biggest form to express love, that kiss - the only way he could express his big love in that moment - was as sexual as possible because in that moment that kiss was the highest and greatest expression of his undying love. In that moment Julian tried to reach to her soul. And he might have had.

* * *

_AN: Here I'm again. not as soon as you may have expected but sooner than the last time._

_I hope you guys are still with me as I move to the end of this story. I still have a card or two under my sleeve and I'd really appreciate if you shared with me your thoughts._

_I want to thank to Madeline, Maddie, Anna, Artemi, sb1218, Love me some Julian, haleydavisbaker and SouthernBellBrooke for the reviews in the last chapter. I miss some of my old reviewers and I just hope they haven't lost hope in me and in this story._

_Talk to you, hopefully, soon._

_Babi  
_


	40. Juker & Dimples: Daughter

**Lying Helpless in Her Arms**

**Chapter 39 - Daughter**

* * *

"Hey" Brooke murmured but it had been enough to wake Julian up. The producer fell asleep lightly and her sweet and raspy voice had been enough to awake him.

"Hi" he answered back seeing the smile in her face. She seemed happy to see him. "How are you feeling? Let me get the doctors" he freaked out but Brooke held his hand tighter.

"I feel great, actually, I think that can wait" she offered and he nodded "I'm happy you're here. Actually both of us are" she moved their connected hands to her belly. He saw the dimples in her angelic face for the first time in longer than he would ever be able to wait again. It was a faint smile but it made his day.

"Yeah, while Mommy was resting, Buddy and I had a chat" Julian also smiled not only because of the woman he loved so much but to know that their son was also awake and 'talking'.

"I guess we need to talk" Brooke suggested after a brief silence.

"Are you sure you're feeling well? They say it had nothing to do with our argument, but I guess it won't help if we get into another" as he talked his smile faded and by the end he forced a small one.

"I know it hadn't been caused by what you told me. If anything, it was because I was happy to know that you still want me after all I did"

"Actually I only wanted to know why you did it. Was it because you don't trust me enough for this? Or that you think I can't help? Or that I'm not strong enough to be there for you? It hurts me that you hid something so serious from me but I wanted to know why you did it. And why did you lead me to believe you'd die without fighting? I know I was a coward and I failed you one more time, but knowing your future wife is with cancer is already enough to shake the ground under you, but seeing that she won't get treated and may die, I guess it was… the first thought in my head" he hadn't realized the tears that run down on his face and how he couldn't bring himself to say out loud that he thought he would lose her.

"Hey, I'm not going anywhere. I'm sorry that I led you to think otherwise. I was hurt. Not only by your reaction, I sort of expected it because I know how hard it had been for you to know that I lied about it. But I was hurting because of Noah, because of me, because of us. The problem has never been you. I knew you'd be there for me and that I needed you but I was afraid. I was so afraid. I remembered of my grandmother and my mother. I know it's idiotic but I thought that if I didn't say a word at first, it wouldn't turn into anything and then when it turned, I was desperate, I didn't want to hurt you, I didn't want to hurt Noah and I guess I was in denial. I know there's no explanation to what I did but I just want you to know that I did it out of love. I didn't want to hurt you and in the end I hurt you more than ever" she cried all while explaining everything to the man she loved.

"I wish I didn't run, you know? Not from you, but from Taylor and Lauren. Not much Taylor, who was less interested in a relationship than I was, but especially Lauren. I wish I had had the guts to give it a shot, you know? I nearly fell in love with her but I ran before it actually happened. And if I hadn't been a coward by then, I'd have learned how to be in a relationship. I wouldn't be scary and insecure and I'd never have done all the things I did to you. I feel like I'm so unprepared and inexperienced and that you're the one that pays for my inability of being in a relationship. I wish I was stepping up and being the man you need me to be, instead of the scared boy that feels like he's losing you and needs to run every single time. I get mad and it seems to be with you but it's with me. I wish I had been Lauren's boyfriend, so I'd be a better fiancé to you, Brooke. I know I've been failing you beyond words and I feel like shit because of this. I'm not good enough for you and I'd wish I was" his eyes had averted from her as he talked because he felt so small and like a girl in front of the woman he was supposed to be strong and brave for.

"Trust I had opened my heart to Lucas and if anything it just made it worse instead of preparing me for a future and successful relationship. Also how can I know that this Lauren wasn't great and you wouldn't be happily married to her now? That's definitely something I wouldn't want." she reassured him not only with his her sweet words but also squeezing his hand softly.

"But you're strong and you're brave, Brooke Davis. You're hurt and you didn't want to be hurt again but you face everything in your life with a scary strength. I feel impotent around you, I feel like you don't need me and that I just make things worse with my childish reactions"

"You couldn't be any more wrong Julian, I…" she tried to explain but he cut her off.

"No, Brooke, I'm not. You're in a trial for God's sake. How many people would accept to be part of a trial to treat aggressive cancer? You did it all by yourself and you're willing to take all the risks and you're fighting for you and for Noah instead of being depressed and crying in your sister house" he looked down ashamed of his cowardice.

"That's because I love you more than anything, Julian. My love for you makes me strong. I just can't imagine how hard it'd be for you to be here with Noah without me and I know that you might think it wouldn't destroy you, but I know if we lose Noah you'll be as much as devastated. I have to fight this, I have to fight his for you and for him" she stopped a bit looking at his beautiful chocolate eyes "I guess that's why they say 'you're forever responsible for what you tame'" she reached for his face and brushed it and the looking that screamed love that he loved so much was now in her face.

"I want to be a better man for you, I want to be ready to be the man you need, the father Noah needs. I have to grow but I feel like I'm stuck in my pathetic teenage feelings and reactions" Julian offered mesmerized by the love in her eyes but still aware of his faults.

"We all need to be better people, Julian. I'm sure you'd react differently if I had told you since the beginning. Again both of us made mistakes and I guess this situation just proves that we'll keep doing them for the rest of our lives but we should always trust each other and never hide anything. I know I'm the one who kept things from you, not only now, but also before and I thought that I had learned in the first time around but I didn't. Anyway now I'm sure that I learned. I guess facing death indeed gives you the clarity moment that everybody talks about"

"You're not dying, Brooke" he moved both of his hands to the side of her face and repeated it a few more times.

"That's what I thought too, Julian but if we want to do it right we need to face the fact that I might die, that Noah might die. We can't deny it. I did it before and see where it brought us. I'll fight with everything I can and I know you'll be there for me, fighting too and I just hope it'll be enough for us to make it" she let the tears fall down her face. It was hard as it was but she knew it was time for them to do it. Together this time.

"I'll fight with you, Honey, I promise I will" he increased the grip in her face slightly and kissed her softly.

"Thank you, Baby, that's all I need to know to feel like everything will work out" she broke the kiss and folded her arms around him.

"There's one more thing we need to talk about, Julian" she whispered in their embrace and he let go of her, straightening his body.

"What is it?" he looked confident but he was terrified inside. Was there any other secret? Because everything that Dr Martin had said to him some hours ago was already enough to make him feel powerless and defeated but he wouldn't let Brooke know it. He'd learn from his mistakes.

"Lucas" she simply said and while Julian was relieved that it wasn't something about her condition, he still tensed at the mention of the writer. The moment he had with Lucas before was sort of forgotten now and while he didn't hate the guy like he used to do, he was still really uncomfortable by his presence.

"I guess he's still outside" Julian looked at his watch seeing that they were already in the middle of the morning.

"No, I don't mean it. We need to talk about Lucas. About the past, about the present, about the future. I can't deny that he was someone that impacted my life forever and I can't deny that I've loved him someday. But we're still friends. It doesn't really matter if he still has feelings for me, I only have feelings for you but I can't let, I won't let your jealousy to mess it up, especially when he had been there for me when nobody else was. I've been there for him once and he's there for me now. I still love him Julian, not as a boyfriend, but he's important to me and you need to accept that. We have been clean about what we have now and he knows that I'm with you even when we were broken up. He won't leave but you don't need to feel threatened by his presence. I don't want him to leave, he doesn't want to leave and I need him when I tell Haley and Nathan everything that's going on. I can't hide it forever and the playoffs' final games are around the corner so they might be back in the city for good very soon. I need you to be there for me when I tell them but I also need him. I need you to understand it" she calmly explained while she tried to read how Julian was taking this conversation. She knew Lucas had been one of the major reasons why Julian was insecure and that led him to run and she needed to clean this with him before they moved on.

"You just told me that he still has feelings for you Brooke" Julian was still assimilating everything she said about the blond man outside but letting this had just slip through his lips.

"And I also told you that you're the only man I love, the only man for me" she reached for the back of his neck, but she didn't pull him into a kiss or embrace, she just wanted him to know what she wanted him and nobody else.

"I guess dealing with him having feelings for you will be part of the growing process that I need. But why should I feel this way? Everybody that knows you, will fall in love with you, so I better get used to the feeling that all men in the world want my fiancée" he smiled weakly and she knew he was doing his best. "I'm even going outside to get the guy here with you while I look for Fabian"

"I love you, Julian, and I have to believe that all bad things that were thrown in our way will only make us stronger" she now pulled him and they kissed tenderly.

"That's a good way to look at it, Dimples, now let me get the doc... and your buddy" he winked to her and hesitantly walked out of the room.

* * *

As he expected Lucas was still in the waiting room. He was fast asleep but even with his eyes closed he looked a shadow of a man.

"Hey, man" Julian spoke softly and Lucas quickly awoke "She's awake and sort of asking for you"

"How is she?" Lucas stood up immediately, fixing his clothes.

"She's fine now. I'm going to get the doctors, but you go ahead and talk to her, room 1532"

Lucas nodded thankfully and moved towards the nurse station to get the directions when Julian called for him.

"And man, I really appreciate everything you did" Julian said before also heading towards Dr. Martin's office.

* * *

The doctors spent the day running tests on Brooke and they had decided that she should stay in the hospital until the surgery and after it until they finished with the post-op treatment. They hoped they wouldn't need to have an emergency C-section but that was also one of the reasons to have her there all the time. Surely it didn't take much time to Victoria to find out about it, as Brooke informed Millie that she needed a leave of absence of work as soon as the doctor informed her she needed one.

"So here you are" sarcasm was evident in her voice as she entered her daughter's room.

"What are you doing here?" Brooke asked already angry.

"What is he doing here?" Victoria turned to Lucas who was sat by Brooke's bed reading a book.

"I'm here for Brooke while Julian went to the set to have some things done" Lucas explained without moving his eyes from the book in his hands.

"So I guess you should leave now. I'll make company to my daughter" Victoria demanded but Lucas didn't budge.

"I guess that's not your decision to make" he said after some seconds. "I'm here because Brooke wants me here, now we don't know if she wants you here, do we?" he looked up to Victoria for the first time with a cynical smile in his face.

It seemed totally out of character for Brooke. Lucas had always been so calm and reconciling and now he was just snapping at Victoria. And she knew it'd be bad to him and also to her so she decided to intervene before her mother acted.

"I guess I can concede two minutes of my day to her, Lucas. Why don't you take us some latte. You know how I like mine, don't you?" she asked with a sweet smile that Lucas couldn't resist though he frowned when his eyes moved to Victoria.

"It's okay, Luke. Just don't take more than two minutes to be back" Brooke reassured him and he nodded, standing up and passing by Victoria without acknowledging her in any way.

"I must say you do have a taste for them. How is it to play with two boys, Brooke? Back to your high school days?" the venom filled Victoria's words.

"My personal life is none of your business and your time is running. I guess I gave Millicent all the directions of what should be done in my absence. As soon as I'm authorized by the doctors I'll be back making the sketches from here, so if you want any information you should go to her, not to me" Brooke turned her attention back to the magazine she had discarded before Victoria entered her room.

"Why are you here? And why are you staying here for at least two months? Is the little monster already giving you a bit of what you gave me ever since you were born? Told you children are trouble and that you'd be better without them" her voice was devoid of any feeling other than despair.

"Why I'm here isn't any of your concern. As you just pointed kids are trouble and that's why I stopped being yours a long time ago. As my employee and I mind remind you that's what you are, you only need to know that I'm here for at least two months and that your attributions had been reviewed and if you had checked your e-mail before bothering to show up you'd know what you have to do" Brooke didn't move her eyes from the magazine until when she finished, to offer Victoria a fake smile.

"Watch your mouth, miss" Victoria gasped.

"Your time is over, was that all? I'm really looking forward for that latte"

"Look Brooke I don't really care what you decide to do between these two boys, you can fool around with them as much as you care. I'm sure you don't even know who the father is and that might be the reason why they're both sticking around. Just don't be the stupid girl you've always been and let it destroy the empire that we've built. You may be inclined to ruin it but I won't let it happen"

"That's my company, my umpire, which I've built alone. Somehow you tagged along but trust me you have no participation in my success" the designer was already enraged.

"And neither welcome in this room" the male voice behind Victoria announced they weren't alone anymore.

"So, we finally met again, Julian Baker, too bad that this time isn't as pleasant as the first time around was. Not bad to me, of course but only to you that had let her drag you into her slutty soap opera. You seemed to be so intelligent at first. I guess I got a bad first impression" she offered a cynical smile that made Julian's blood boiling.

"Victoria, you should leave" Brooke asked and now she was quieter. She didn't want Julian to face Victoria. She knew he was already fragile because of that entire situation and Victoria knew how to be hard.

"Two lattes with extra foam and…" Lucas announced as he reached the door by the corner of the corridor. He didn't expect Victoria to still be there and for the looks of the evil woman and Julian, things were far from okay.

"Well, isn't it endearing? One brings food and the other flowers. I see why you keep both around Brooke. I'm sure they're fulfilling all your needs. From the craziest ones to the most primal, aren't they daughter dearest?"

"You!" Julian threw his finger in Victoria's face "Get out of here now, I could call security but it'll be a pleasure to kick your bitchy ass by myself, so I'll give you a chance of dignity to do it by yourself"

"I wouldn't keep that temper, mister, you have no idea who you're dealing with" Victoria looked at her perfect manicured nails, despising Julian's threat. But she had been surprised when she felt his big hand on her arm pulling her out of the room.

"Those are for you Honey" he put the flowers in his hands in the side table while he led Victoria outside.

"You take your dirt hands off of me now, jerk, or _I'll_ call security and trust me as much as I want to see your lame ass being kicked I would never do it by myself cause that's the help job or my daughter's" Victoria demanded as Julian led them inside what seemed like a supply closet or something.

"You pay attention now, _bitch_" he stressed the last word and Victoria was actually scared of the man that kept the only door of the small and barely illuminated room behind him.

"I'm sure you don't know why Brooke is here and that's certainly one of your latest concerns but it's my main and only one, so I'll let you know. She found out she has cancer and she's been trying the most aggressive treatments though they don't seem to be really effective. She had a heart attack last night because of the medication and she's going to be kept here for them to monitor her until the surgery and to do the post-op treatment, so I guess she already has a lot in her plate and she doesn't need her shame of a mother around now" Julian finally let go of her arm, pushing her slightly towards the shelf behind her.

"She what?" Victoria asked shocked.

"Yeah, it seems like the only thing you gave her as a mother was this damned disease gene, by the way thank you so much for that one, Victoria" his voice actually scared her and she swallowed hard.

"Is Fabian Martin her doctor?" Victoria finally found her voice as Julian ran his hands through his hair. He definitely didn't need Victoria around now, especially not today when he was trying to make amends with Brooke.

"Yes, why?" Julian looked curious to her.

"Just assuring she got the best in New York" Victoria forgot about the pose she always held and sat over some boxes that seemed to resist her weight.

Julian appraised Victoria for a moment. Her demeanor had changed so drastically in the past minute that Julian barely recognized the heartless woman. Or at least she seemed heartless until now.

"You do care, don't you?" his voice wasn't enraged or sarcastic anymore. It was just quiet as the woman sitting across of him.

"Of course I do, she's my daughter" she said aggravated.

"And why don't you let her know it? You're only the third person to know about it but you might the one that will make a difference for her. You might the only one out there that she really cares" Julian turned to leave the closet.

"And Victoria, I won't let you be around her unless you decide to be that person" he said back with a threatening and firm tone, with his back to the woman that could mean a lot to Brooke in that moment.

* * *

He was back to the room to find it in a deep silence. Lucas wasn't back to his book but he didn't say a word as he sat by Brooke's bed side. Brooke had the latte in her hands but for all he could say she was yet to sip it.

"As I was saying, those are for you" he took the lilies bouquet from the side table and handed it to her.

"Are you okay?" Brooke asked concerned.

"Yes, Honey, I'm okay" he offered the grin that he knew would assure her he was telling the truth.

"So I don't get any coffee, man?" he turned to Lucas who was watching the exchange uncomfortably.

"I didn't know you were coming already" Lucas offered shyly.

"He's kidding Luke, you should get used to the teases and jokes, that's all Julian is about" Brooke looked to the man she loved with the most passionate eyes.

"I guess" Lucas offered a small smile.

Lucas got the vase standing on the bedside table and went to the bathroom, while Julian took her latte and sipped a bit, winking to her as he returned it. He sat by the chair, opening his bag and getting a paper bag which had cherry bonbons - her favorite - while Lucas went back and put the flowers in the water.

"One thing Victoria might be right about. I'm loving being spoiled by the two of you" she gave her trademark dimpled smile and both men shook their heads, smiling on their own. It was nice to see her smile again.

* * *

_AN: Surprise, surprise! Here I'm with the second to last chapter of this fic - prior to the epilogue. I'm sort of in love with Damon Salvatore, the same I was with Alex Karev and later Julian Baker, so I guess I might lose inspiration writing about anyone else very soon, so I need to finish this fic before it happens. And why is that? Because I have a lot of reviewers and readers supporting me through this and guys I take all of you into a lot of consideration. Luckily I have **Stockholm** (check it out, it's a totally different Brulian story) outlined until its 20th and finishing chapter so I just have to keep writing as the ideas are all there :)  
_

_I know some of you really hate Lucas, but think about it from Brooke perspective, not ours (I don't enjoy writing him): she has the biggest heart and she forgave him a long time ago. He's someone she trusts that won't hurt her as long as she doesn't give her heart to him again. Not that she could because she had already given it to Julian, but this is the hardest moment of her life and she needs the people that love her. She can't have Naley now and it's already hard, so that's why Lucas is so important to her. He'll never be deserving of her love and her heart but she (not me) wouldn't hold grudges against him (and me, being me, makes him being in love with her and watching as she loves Julian. I could write a whole fic just describing his heartbreak)._

_Back to what matters, Julian, he knows he was weak and coward and he'll make up for it and the first act? Kicking Victoria's ass (let me know what you thought about it) and he's really willing to do whatever it takes to be the man Brooke deserves. He won't do it only for her but especially for him. He wants to be that man and he wants to be a good father._

_Up next? How about a little family reunion? So time to bring back Naley, Nat and Isabella and surprise, surprise, surprise... Paul and Katherine. Don't expect everything to be a bed of roses. Or maybe do, just don't forget about the nails._

_Talk to you soon and hopefully, I made you happy with a pretty early update. I'm doing my best to have the next one by next week._

_xoxo_

_Babi_

_PS.: I was so excited to update it again that I totally forgot to thank_ by nam_e all my reviewers, but there's always time to fix it. So thanks to Artemi, OTH23MOLLS, Carrie, Whitney, Maddie, HaleyBOTH, Friendlygirl333, __haleydavisbaker, lia and cheerychris._


	41. Juker & Dimples: Son

**Lying Helpless in Her Arms**

**Chapter 40 - Son**

* * *

Brooke had been monitored pretty closely by the doctors for the past eight weeks and luckily the medication was working, not as well as they expected but still today was her surgery day.

It had been complicated to tell Haley and Nathan and she thought that if Lucas weren't there for her she wouldn't have made it. She knew her friends would be really upset because she had hidden something so important and that's why she needed Lucas. They've known each other for a long time and it was nice to have some back up.

_

* * *

Six weeks ago_

"_Wow look at you!" Haley said as soon as she entered the penthouse. With Brooke's condition monitored closely they allowed her to go back to their house on the weekends so she could take care of Noah's nursery, the baby shower among other stuff before he finally arrived. Julian didn't feel very comfortable because the Hamptons were far from the hospital but Brooke assured him she was feeling okay.  
_

"_Don't I look like a whale?" Brooke said caressing her seven-month pregnant belly._

"_You look amazing, Tigger but I feel like I lost it all" she hugged her friend, happy for Brooke._

"_Aunt Brooke you look really big. Did you look like this when I was in your belly, mom?" Jamie asked Haley who frowned to her mother._

"_See? At least someone tells me truth here"_

"_Does Aunt Brooke look bad, Jamie?" Nathan asked walking from behind him, moving to hug Brooke too._

"_No, she's still pretty but that belly is so cool. It's like she swallowed a whole watermelon"_

"_You've got that right, buddy" said Julian crouching to be at Jamie's level and give him a hug._

"_Thank you for the support, dearest fiancé" Brooke offered sarcastically._

"_Nathan, Hales" Lucas came from the kitchen to surprise his brother and best friend._

"_Lucas? What the heck are you doing here?" Haley asked surprised._

"_And you thought you've got a bad reception" he turned to Brooke, keeping his quiet and shy demeanor._

"_What she means is that we are happy to see you big bro, that's definitely a good surprise" he turned to Lucas hugging his brother and stepping away for him to hug Haley too._

_While Lucas reached for Haley, Nathan frowned to Julian that was engaged in a conversation with Jamie, as usual. The producer only nodded his head to the basketball player trying to assure everything was okay. Or the best it could be._

_He had a hard time getting used to Lucas but over the past two weeks they lived under the same roof and were only sharing it with Brooke for the first time now, ever since Julian moved away. It had been awkward but Julian finally understood that Brooke was vulnerable and fragile and she needed as much as family by her side as possible. As she didn't have many people to count except for the three adults that stood in her living room now, Julian thought it was worth the sacrifice._

_He avoided having a heart to heart with Lucas at first. They had a silent agreement and he had been really nice to Brooke and even to himself while he stayed in their house. Lucas also helped him moving the stuff from Brooke's penthouse to the house and he had really helped Julian while she was in the hospital.  
_

"_So, Aunt Brooke, when is my cousin arriving?" Jamie said already from his godfather lap as everybody had already moved to the couch and Lucas happily greeted his godson._

"_I guess in a month and a half buddy if everything goes fine" Brooke offered as she rested her head in Julian's expecting shoulder._

"_So how was it to be in the final playoffs, Nathan?" Lucas asked and the big smile in Nathan's face showed that losing to the Lakers wasn't that bad after all. Surely they had been disappointed but it was a milestone to all those players._

"_Unbelievable big bro. The matches we played here, were unforgettable and unbelievable" he offered remembering of the last two months since the play-offs started,_

"_We tried to get a hold of you Brooke, it was crazy, we were in New York for like a couple of days and then we were in Miami and later in Los Angeles but you seemed to be in other continent, unreachable" Haley explained and Brooke only smiled weakly._

"_Unfortunately I've been spending more time seeing Dr. Martin than I wanted" she answered quietly to Haley and looked up to Julian. She wouldn't wait until they had dinner to break the sad news to her family. Julian already knew his role in the night and turned immediately to Jamie._

"_What do you think of some Wii, buddy?" Julian offered faking enthusiasm for the sake of the boy._

"_Cool, do you want to play, Uncle Lucas?" he turned to the man that was holding him who looked at Brooke. She was begging for him to stay._

"_Why don't you train with Julian, smash him and then you face the real challenge with me, huh?" Lucas suggested and Jamie was excited because he had both of his 'uncles' tonight._

"_Okay, but I'm telling you, Uncle Julian is really good"_

"_I'm sure he is" Lucas answered quietly._

_Haley had caught something in the air. The three adults around her and her husband were behaving really weirdly and she knew something was off. They were clearly trying to get rid of Jamie and that was the only reason why she didn't jump in to know what was happening._

"_Alright, J-Luke, let's go" Julian used Brooke's nickname to Jamie, who followed him promptly._

"_Spill it" Haley demanded as soon as the duo made it to the games room._

_Nathan looked to her surprised. As expected he had been totally oblivious to the exchanges, just waiting when the two men would include him in the video-game marathon._

"_I'm sick" Brooke announced bluntly and Nathan was the first to react "What?"_

"_The doctors' suspicions were confirmed by the time the playoffs started" Lucas was the one to speak now seeing that Brooke's voice was already cracking._

"_Which suspicions?" Haley turned to Brooke._

"_The first suspicions" Brooke was then crying. Haley looked closely to her friend and it made sense. Though Brooke glowed because of the pregnancy her hair was thinner and she was paler than usual too._

"_Oh, Brooke" she moved her hands to her mouth and the memory of her mother was present in her mind the very moment. It had taken her so much time to finally accept what happened to Lydia and now she was going through the same battle with Brooke. She just hoped her friend had a better chance than her mother ever did._

"_Yeah…" Brooke wiped the tears rolling down her face._

"_She had been through three different treatments so far and though the last one seems to be really dangerous to her, it's her best shot" Lucas kept giving the details that Brooke couldn't._

"_I'm so sorry" Haley jumped from her seat and hugged her best friend while Nathan still held a puzzled face. He looked to his brother and he couldn't actually believe he didn't know what happened._

"_Brooke has cancer man. She is taking chemotherapy and if everything works fine, she'll be operated in six weeks" Lucas explained and Nathan broke down just as his wife did, also reaching for the female brunette._

"_Why didn't you tell us, Brooke?" was the first thing he voiced as the shock slowly subsided. _

"_I'm telling now. Nathan was making his dream come true and you and Jamie were there sharing this special moment to your family. I just couldn't take it from you and I knew the moment you found out the truth Nathan wouldn't focus as much and you'd be here instead of traveling with your husband and son" Brooke sniffled and forced a small smile._

"_Of course I would, you're my best friend" Haley said in tears._

"_Don't worry, Lucas and Julian have been here for me and now we just have to wait for the surgery" she smiled faintly while both of her friends embraced her._

* * *

The day they've been waiting finally arrived. It was a warm mid-July day and Brooke and her family prepared themselves the best they could for this day. The production of Julian's movie had finally been wrapped up the day before and it was the perfect timing for him to be with his fiancée when she needed him the most.

Isabella had even suggested Brooke to recover from surgery in Wilmington. They had been able to control all side effects managing the right medication to each reaction Brooke presented and it could be done by the small city in North Carolina. Julian and Brooke, especially him, seemed a little reluctant. Julian hoped and prayed that nothing went wrong with Brooke but if something happened it'd be better for her to be in New York, close to her doctor and the best facilities in the country. But Brooke said that as soon Noah was born she would probably accept Isabella's offer. She thought that nothing better than being close to family and in a small and quiet city for the first weeks of Noah's life.

But now they should focus on getting over the surgery. It wasn't expected to be a dangerous procedure, nothing in addition to the danger that all surgery procedures implied, especially on someone as reactive and prone to allergies as Brooke.

"Everything is going to be okay, Honey. I'll be right here waiting for you" Julian offered as he walked by her side while her stretcher was steered towards the OR.

"Thank you, Baby, for everything. I wouldn't have done it without you through these last weeks. I love you, Baby" she smiled teary as they reached the double doors from where Julian wasn't allowed to keep going.

"I love you too, Honey" he leaned down and kissed her gently in the lips. "Come back to me, if you see any darkness, light, rainbow, door, someone with white beard and hair or anything, just ignore it and come back to me, okay?" his voice cracked a bit but he kept a brave face to show her his support and strength. Julian had grown in those months more than in the other twenty-six years of his life.

"I'll do my best" she moved both of her hands to the sides of his head while she tried to hold the tears back.

"I'm waiting for you" he said as the intern started to steer the stretcher again and he watched as his future wife went to fight for her life one more day.

He turned back to the waiting room where everyone else was. Lucas, Haley, Nathan, Millicent, Bianca, Isabella and Nathalie – who traveled to be with Brooke during the weekend and even Victoria.

Ever since Julian gave her an ultimatum she had tried to reconnect and fix her relationship with Brooke. While her daughter had been reluctant at first she finally opened up a little to her mother.

* * *

The procedure wasn't supposed to be too long but the hours seemed to go on forever. The hours passed and there wasn't one single update.

"No news is good news" Haley broke the silence. The tension in the room could be cut with a knife and nobody dared to say a word until now.

Julian and Victoria, the latter unexpectedly, returned thankful smiles but the truth was that everybody wanted news. They've been there for hours and not a word had been said.

After almost three hours finally a familiar face made it through the waiting room. It was Dr. Nash.

"Julian" he announced and everybody turned to see the middle-aged doctor.

"Dr Nash?" Julian asked surprised. He was certainly the last person he expected to see there. Today wasn't about Noah, it was about Brooke and when Julian figured it out what it meant he felt a shiver running through his spine.

"I have news" he said as everyone surrounded him.

"Congratulations, Julian, you're already a father" the doctor offered a tight smile that told Julian that something was wrong with Brooke.

"What? But he wasn't supposed to arrive today" Julian couldn't enjoy the news that he just received. Brooke never left his thoughts "How is Brooke?"

"There was a complication" Dr. Nash told him.

"What sort of complication?" Victoria jumped in.

"We did a C-Section to ensure nothing wrong happened to Noah. He was under stress because Brooke's body had been under a lot of stress and we feared for Noah's life"

"What about Brooke?" he asked quietly while his eyes were already teary.

"They're still operating on her. She crashed Julian and for a moment they thought her lungs had collapsed but they didn't. She is fighting Julian"

"When are they supposed to be done?" Lucas questioned.

"They'll come to talk to you and let you know better. I've been with Noah for almost an hour running all the tests that needed to be run in a preemie" he was quiet and didn't want to say a lot of things because it wasn't his area. He was there for Noah mainly.

"How is he? How is Noah?" Julian thought about the first conversation he had with Brooke since their breakup in that very same hospital some weeks ago. He remembered of the talk with his son too. He needed to be there for his boy.

"He is absolutely healthy and you can go with me to see him. Thankfully Brooke could keep Noah there for thirty-six weeks and I don't think we'll need to keep him in the NICU" the doctor finally delivered some good news, in addition to the birth of his son.

"Thank you, Dr. Nash" Julian showed an honest smile knowing Noah was healthy and fine.

"Would you like to go too Victoria?" Dr. Nash acknowledged the nervous woman behind Julian. It was clear in her face the shock of both news, Brooke's and Noah's.

"I'm not sure…" she started looking up quickly to Julian and down to her hands, a demeanor that was totally unusual by the fierce woman.

"If you want, you can go with me" Julian said softly looking up to his future mother-in-law.

"Thank you" she showed her honest gratitude.

"Everything will be fine, man. You heard the doc, she's fighting and I'm sure she's doing it for you" Lucas moved his hand to Julian's shoulder.

"He's right" Nathan followed his brother actions.

"I'm praying for her" Isabella offered seeing through her sibling's façade. "She's coming back to you, just like she said she would"

"Thank you" he said to his sister hugging her tightly and nodding to Dr. Nash to lead the way.

* * *

The inexpressive walls of the hospital and the sterile smell was making him sick and if the walk was some feet longer he wasn't sure if he'd make it without emptying his stomach.

They entered a room, where a nurse was cooing the baby. When the door opened she took the baby in her arms and turned to give him to his anxious father.

"Dad, Grandma, that's Noah" Dr Nash offered happily. That was his favorite part of his job, to show the family their beautiful new addition. But it never felt the same when the mom wasn't around but he was hopeful that soon Brooke would also meet her little boy.

"Come to Dad, Buddy" Julian cried stretching his arms to receive his bundle of joy.

"He's beautiful, Julian, congratulations" Victoria, teary, offered from his shoulder.

"I love you, Buddy, I love you more than anything" the tears falling from his face to Noah's.

* * *

"Who is here for Brooklyn Davis?" a nurse asked in the waiting room.

"We are" all of her friends and family stood up, a couple of minutes after Julian and Victoria had left.

"Dr. Martin is coming to talk to you"

"How is she?" Haley asked nervously.

"The doctor has the information, ma'am" she explained as the doctor himself crossed the double doors.

"Fabian" Lucas jumped as the doctor appeared.

"Hi Lucas. Where is Julian and Victoria?" the doctor asked.

"They just left to see Noah, how is she, Fabian? Is everything alright?" Lucas asked nervously.

"Sorry Lucas, I know you've been here for her for this past months but I can only talk to the family now. I'm going to talk to Julian and Victoria and they'll come to say it to you"

"Just tell me that she's alive" Lucas' eyes glassed. If the man he had talked so many times before wasn't willing to let them know her status, it was because he didn't have good news.

"I'll be right back, Lucas" he smiled for the first time and Lucas got his answer. It didn't matter the condition, he knew that Brooke was alive but the rest of them wasn't so sure.

"Do you remember me, Dr. Martin?" Isabella appeared from behind Lucas.

"Of course, Dr. Summers. Nice to see you again"

"So I guess you're aware that I'm Brooke's doctor too, that we're transferring her to Wilmington after Noah's birth, which just happened"

"Yes, I am" he nodded.

"So I guess I'm authorized to have some information, why don't you let me accompany you to where Julian went while you update me about her condition" she offered and the man nodded another time, stretching his arm to show her the way.

A couple of minutes after they crossed the doors Nathalie's phone vibrated.

_She's made it! She's on ICU right now but they are very hopeful about her recovery. There was no permanent damage and they fully removed the nodes._

Nathalie waited no time to share the news and everybody hugged each other while they cried. Happy tears.

* * *

Brooke woke up three hours later and she had already been transferred to the room where Noah was. She didn't present any problems and after running all the tests she was by her son side, even if she wasn't aware of it.

"Then Dad had to start all over again, with a new actor. It was hard Buddy. But everything worked fine. I guess you were already my luck charming even before you were here. Yes, you were. You're the best thing that ever happened to me, Noah" Julian said to the baby in his arms, not realizing that Brooke's eyes were fluttering open.

"And then I thought that was me" she weakly said a few seconds later.

"Brooklyn" the moment he heard her voice the tears filled his eyes.

"Julls" she turned her head to the side to see her fiancé holding their son and she couldn't describe a more beautiful moment in her life.

"I want you to meet the second best thing that happened in my life, in our life" he winked to her "Please, meet our son, Noah Carter" he moved from his seat to Brooke's side of the bed, lowering Noah to the eye's level of his mother.

"He is beautiful, Julls" she said tentatively trying to move her hand to touch her son for the first time but Julian was by the side she had been operated on.

"I'll turn around" he offered as he made it to the other side of the bed.

"Hey Buddy" she teary said to her son who seemed to be sleeping.

"You did it, Honey, you did it" Julian turned to her. He couldn't describe how happy he was when the doctor said how successful her surgery had been despite of the complications.

"How is he?" she was mesmerized by the baby that she wanted to hold though she knew she couldn't do it for some days.

"He's perfect; he'll be released to go home tomorrow. He's only four weeks early and Dr. Nash said that he is as strong as if he was born in the due date" he proudly looked back to their son.

"I'm so happy" she cried more intensely now, moving the hand from Noah's face to her own but Julian quickly replaced it by his own.

"Me too Honey, we're finally a family" he leaned down to kiss her softly in the lips, being careful to do not suffocate Noah neither hurt Brooke.

"I love you so much, both of you" her trembling mouth whispered.

"I love you too, Honey, but now I'm going to call the doctor to check on you, okay?" he kissed her forehead and moved Noah to the crib, not before steering it to his mother side.

* * *

Each one of their friends and family had been there for the last hours and Isabella advised Nathalie to leave and let Brooke rest, also giving the cue to all the others to do the same.

"Now that I see him I can't really understand what happened to us, you know?" Julian turned to Brooke as he held his son in his arms again. He and Noah had been inseparable ever since the boy was in the room.

"What do you mean?" Brooke asked trying to move her body upper in the bed but not being really successful.

"Our parents ... I look at Noah and all I want is to protect him, it's to tell him how much I love him. I don't understand why he hated me so much" Julian confessed vulnerably and Brooke could see that he was near to tears. She didn't know how they still had the salt liquid in their systems. They've cried more than they thought it was possible in the past days.

"Just know that's not your fault. I'm sure nothing Noah ever does will lead you to abandon him" Brooke offered reaching for his arm.

"You know why I've never changed my name for real?" he looked at her with red eyes and it broke her heart a little bit more. She shook her head so he could continue and watched as he looked for strength to keep talking without breaking down.

"I hoped that someday he would be proud of me being his son, Julian Michael Norris. I thought that he would acknowledge my success. That he would smile when he heard that his son, Julian Norris made it big, you know?" and finally the first tear rolled down.

"I am sure he does, even if he doesn't admit. Probably because he can't forgive himself. Probably because he can't live with the fact he almost destroyed you" Brooke told him honestly.

"He just pretends I never existed" he smiled sarcastically.

"If he still thought that of you I'm sure he would make sure to call and let you know it. He won't talk to you because he can't forgive himself. But you're a better person. When Victoria thought she would lose me for real, she changed. I guess when you threatened her and she realized that whether I lived or not she'd lose me she got the last push she need to change. Maybe what your father needs is a wake-up call, just like her" Brooke comforted her fiancé and he looked to her, thankful to have this wonderful woman by his side.

"Well it is all over the news that the mother of my son and my son could have died and he didn't even call" he remembered the fact that ever since the heart attack the press found out that Brooke had complications and lately her PR released an announcement clarifying and confirming her disease.

"That's because just now I finally got the guts to see you again" a voice echoed from the opening door.

"Father" Julian muttered

"Julian" Katherine said from behind Paul

"Mother" this time his voice was louder and stronger.

There was an awkward and uncomfortable silence for minutes. Julian remained in his position while both of his parents stood in the doorway.

"I guess we're yet to be introduced. I'm Brooke Davis" the design offered from her bed and Katherine was the first to make a move to finally get inside the room.

"Katherine Baker-Norris" the older woman said "Nice to meet you, Brooke"

Brooke only offered a smile and turned to her fiancé "Why don't you introduce Noah to your parents, Julian?" she suggested but Julian couldn't move from his position. He didn't know how to react. He was supposed to kick his parents or at least his father out of his fiancé's room but it seemed like a couple hours of fatherhood had already been enough to change his heart and melt it.

But he couldn't make any move to welcome them either so he stood there, motionless, holding a sleeping Noah.

"Is he okay? Are you okay Brooke?" it was Katherine to react again. Paul couldn't react as much as Julian couldn't.

"We're fine, thanks Katherine" Brooke answered politely. If it wasn't for her condition and her son in the room, she'd be calling Paul and Katherine the most horrible names in the book but she needed to respect her son and she felt like she should be in a better shape to slap both of them in the face if that was the case.

"Baby, why don't you leave him with me and go talk to your parents? I would leave to give you some privacy but I guess that's not really possible" Brooke waved her hands to her body in the bed while she smiled faintly.

At his fiancée suggestion Julian only seemed to increase his grip around his son tiny body.

"Julian" Paul finally voiced after something "Son…"

The last word seemed to have drained the rest of strength that Julian had inside. With everything that happened in Brooke's complicated surgery and labor, the last of his forces was just done as he listened to his father calling him son. It had been a long time since he heard that word.

Nathalie, Isabella and Lucas who had left briefly when Victoria, Millicent and Bianca left joined the family room in the big maternity wing room to say their goodbyes and give Julian something to eat as he had totally forgot.

"Mom? Dad?" Nathalie asked shocked to seeing her old guys there.

Isabella immediately moved her gaze to Julian who seemed that would fall down at any second, holding hard his son more than the little boy would probably like.

"Jully" her soft voice got his attention as he moved his crying eyes from his father to his sister.

"Why don't you give him to me, for a second? Go talk to them, there's a lot to talk and Brooke and Noah should rest now" Isabella reasoned and Julian seemed to listen to his elder sister as he handed her the bundle where his son was.

"He also needs to rest, Isabella, they should have thought about it before. But guess what they don't really think of what's best for Julian, do they?" Nathalie snapped at her parents. She nearly hated them for everything they did to her beloved brother.

"Nat, it's not time and place" Isabella wisely spoke rocking Noah that was already fussing.

"I'll talk to them" Julian finally said, turning to look to Brooke. She nodded to him and stretched her hand so he leaned down and she briefly brushed their lips.

"I've got your back, just like you've got mine with Victoria" she assured him as they broke the kiss.

"Thank you, Brooklyn" he kissed her forehead and turned to both of his sisters "I'll be right back"

The three adults started to make their way out of the room when Brooke spoke again "Wait. Paul, Katherine. It's been a tough day for me and I'm really tired and injured in this bed but if any of you do anything to hurt this boy again, you better look for a very remote place to live because Brooke Davis knows how to kick some ass better than anyone you've ever met. I'm not afraid of any of you and I'd give my life for this boy, so you better treat him right this time and do not think that's an empty threat of a weak woman laid in a bed. I just fought a kickass cancer and I'm sure kicking your unfortunate butts won't be harder than this" she had a stoic voice and they could see by the rage in her eyes that she was being serious.

Katherine gulped while the rest occupants of the room held their breaths in shock of Brooke's words.

"Have a nice day and if you mind, you can came later to know Noah properly" she offered with the sweetest smile and cheery voice, winking to Julian in the process.

"You've got a fierce one, Julian. Those are the best" Paul offered as soon as his son closed the door behind him.

"What do you want here?" Julian asked harshly.

"I'm here to my son. Katherine and I were already in the airport to take a flight back to LA when Isabella called to let us know what happened to Brooke" Paul explained.

"We were already inside the air plane and we caused a commotion to get out of it" Katherine provided more details.

"But why? Why now? Why do you care?" Julian asked as they reached the nursery.

Paul moved his gaze to the babies in the other side of the glass "Because I'm done being a horrible father to you. I took all my failures and disappointments on you. You never did anything wrong Julian. I made deals with the devil to be where I am and it had a price and all the words that I said to you were the words they told me"

"But when Nat was born you were already making it big. I was just one year old!"

"Just because I started producing bigger movies it didn't mean that I wasn't insulted and blamed for everything that went wrong. A big shark thought I'd be the next big name in the industry and he wouldn't accept to invest in the wrong guy so he kept putting more and more money on me so people will still refer to him as a God in the business, as the guy that made no mistakes and knew it all. He refused to give in and admit he made a mistake and that mistake had been me. For every movie I produced he called a guy to supervise my work and fix all the mess I did and every time he made sure to call me all those names that I called you. I just took it in the only person that I knew wouldn't say anything back, the only person that wouldn't tell me that I was all of that. I was a coward and I took it all in a scared, brilliant, sensitive, smart and sweet boy" Paul admitted while the tears fell down in his face. Katherine was also crying about the hardest time of her life and how she started drinking frustrated that she never did anything to protect her small boy.

"Don't think that your words will melt my heart, Paul, because they won't. It's been twenty-six years of a hatred relationship and you'll have to do a lot better than this to have something nearly close to a father-son relationship with me" Julian didn't let it show how much Paul's words had affected him. He was still processing them and trying to finally understand that he had never been the problem but he wasn't willing to let his father know it. He wanted his father to be punished for everything he did to him. If anything because the moment he saw Noah he knew he would never be able to do that to his son. In that moment he felt like any parent that did anything the least similar to what Paul had done should pay the highest price and right now Julian felt the power to do it to his own father. It wasn't revenge. It wasn't grudges; it was only his just developed paternal instinct.

"I'm not here expecting redemption Julian, though I'm still hopeful that someday we'll let it behind us. I just wanted to be here for you. Isabella had told me how much you love that girl and I can only imagine how much pain you've been through thinking that you could lose her at any minute. I know better than anyone how it is to lose the most important people in your life" Paul's voice was weak and cracking while he sspoke but Julian didn't budge.

"I appreciate the effort but I'm fine, they're fine and now if you don't mind, I'd like to go back to my fiancé and son" Julian turned around "Mother" he greeted with his back to them and headed back to where his real family was.

* * *

Isabella soon realized that the conversation hadn't gone well and quickly left with Nathalie. Lucas stayed a little longer but not so much and in half an hour it was only the family of three in the room.

"How was it?" she asked but Julian only shook his head, holding back the tears, while looking anywhere but her. He wasn't ready to talk to anyone. Not yet. Not even to Brooke. Everything that his father said had such a huge impact on him. He knew Paul's reasons weren't good enough but he couldn't help but feel better about the fact that the problem was never him.

Although he tried to be indifferent to everything his father said he couldn't forget Paul's words._ I was a coward and I took it all in a scared, brilliant, sensitive, smart and sweet boy._

Brilliant, sensitive, smart and sweet. Those were definitely some of the best words to describe Julian and he felt his heart fluttering in his chest when he thought that of all people it had been _his father_ saying those words.

* * *

_AN: I know I'm long overdue but I've been sick twice. This chapter had been finalized at the beginning of the week but I still had to review the grammar but as I was sick again I wasn't in the mood. But here it is, the last chapter before the epilogue._

_I want to thank you guys that had reviewed this fic until now. You guys are great. I have no idea of what I should write in the epilogue. I'm not sure if I should jump in time, if I should include the Scott's, Davis' and Norris' in it. I'm open to suggestions and I'd love if you shared with me what you want to close it._

_I do know I'll write some of the bantering and hot Brulian that started this fic._

_Thanks to Ashleigh; sb1218; Natalie; Princess-Tequila; Love me some Julian; Friendlygirl333 and Artemi who reviewed last chapter. Special thanks to Elli who had started reading this fic lately and had left me some amazing reviews. I loved them girl :)_

_Talk to you - hopefully soon._

_Babi  
_


	42. Epilogue

**Lying Helpless in Her Arms**

**Epilogue**

* * *

Her body didn't hurt per say but she felt as if all the strength had been swept away from her. She felt like the only evidence of life in her shell of a body was her beating heart that kept taking air to each of her cells and taking away what they wouldn't use anymore. She'd thought the worst part was her surgery but assuring that nothing would ever again appear in her body has been a painful and unpleasant experience and the only thing keeping her saying were the two men entering her room.

"Hey" Julian said as he carried Noah in his arms.

"Hi, Baby" Brooke smiled weakly. Her voice sounded even raspier after all the chemotherapy.

"Say hi to Mommy, Noah" Julian said as he leaned down and kissed his fiancée forehead.

"Hey, little bug" Brooke slowly moved her hand to the top of his head, brushing it softly.

"How are you feeling this morning, Dimples?" he asked as he sat by her side, his back resting in the headboard.

"Weak but happy" she honestly answered and though her smile didn't match her answer he knew it was only because she was really tired and weak.

"Only one more week, Honey, only one more week and you'll be perfect" he brushed her very thin hair. She had lost a lot of hair in the past months after the surgery. Even more than she had while she was still pregnant. The hormones seemed to have helped her before and just after the labor but lately her body didn't resist but that wasn't what hurt the most about how her body was coping with the post-operation. It had broken her heart to have never been able to breastfeed Noah but Isabella had helped them a lot and Noah was growing into a beautiful and healthy little boy.

"He looks a lot like you" Brooke said as she looked at their three-month old baby.

"One more reason for me to love you" Julian answered back placing Noah between them while both parents caressed and played with their wide awake son.

"I love you too" she whispered back with a faint smile but she knew she would have the strength to survive one more day. Just because he was with her, just because he never left for one day. Just because his love was even more powerful than the air that her heart keep pumping to her cells. Because if those cells were still willing to get the air her blood brought was because she loved the man by her side with each of them and with that she collected the strength and faced another day.

* * *

As much as Brooke tried to do something about her hair, nothing seemed to look good. She had too little hair and she didn't want to wear a wig or anything and no matter what she did she couldn't like the reflection in her mirror.

She was yet to put on her dress and although she had finished her soft, almost nonexistent make up she was stuck on her hair for at least twenty minutes.

"Do I or don't I have the most beautiful woman of the universe by my side" Julian breathed her in while he wrapped his arms around her waist from behind.

"I don't know what to do with my hair" she sighed frustrated.

"You don't need to do anything about your hair. You already look as beautiful as a woman can be" he trailed kisses on her neck. Brooke closed her eyes and tried to focus in the love he was always offering instead of the many fights she had with herself every day.

"But I should be able to do something about it! Tonight is a special night. We've waited for so long and no matter what I do about my hair, I still look sick. I don't want to spoil the premiere" a single tear rolled down her porcelain face. She knew she was overreacting and she wanted to make it stop somehow but she couldn't. It was the first time in months that she would make a public appearance and although it was no secret that she had fought cancer and successfully won, she wanted to look healthy. She was very pale and even having her hair cut so short didn't help.

"But you aren't sick anymore and nobody really cares, Brooke. I don't care. I'm just thankful that you're my fiancée, the mother of my son, the woman of my life, my soul mate and who also happens to be the most beautiful woman who ever walked on Earth and this, Honey, only adds to premiere maybe they'll pay less attention in the movie and its imperfections and keep their eyes on you and your breathtaking beauty" he turned her around in his arms, looking at her eyes as he spoke.

"I guess my mirror disagrees" she motioned to look back to the glass but he held her closer and prevented her to move.

"Brooke, you know I don't lie to you, you know that although I'd never say you don't look beautiful because to my eyes no matter how you look, you're still the most beautiful woman I met you have to believe it when I say you still look amazing. I could say you look cute, you look sophisticated. I could say a lot of things if only they were true but all I have to say now is how beautiful you are because that, Dimples, is the absolute truth" he tug her hair behind her ear and leaned down to kiss her slowly and passionately.

Brooke answered to his actions instantly as she moved both of her hands to the back of his neck.

The kiss grew more intense and both of them felt their desire building up. It's been many months since they had last made love and their bodies couldn't resist one more night, even though tonight was a big night and they were almost late already.

Slowly Brooke's hands found the way to this jacket and pulled it off, wasting no time to undo his tie and unbutton his dress shirt.

Julian helped her with his belt and then his pants, letting them fall around his ankles.

"I want you, Baby. I miss you so much" she murmured in their kiss while Julian unclasped her bra. She felt like she finally left all her insecurities behind her and let the love take over her body, mind and soul.

She had been released to have sex for a while, since a couple of weeks after her last chemotherapy session but not once in the last weeks she felt like wanting to do it. All the curves that Julian had worshiped were now only distant memories. With the pregnancy and then her serious loss of weight most of the times Brooke didn't even remember how her body used to be when he met her.

She felt ashamed about how she looked. She had no glow in her skin or shine in her eyes. Her hair was the only thing thinner than her body and she felt like Julian wouldn't feel attracted to her anymore. No matter how many times he repeated those words and how true they seemed to be when she looked into his eyes as he said them; she still couldn't convince herself. She felt shallow but her self-esteem seemed to be gone with every cancerous cell that died. She wasn't commiserating. She wasn't feeling bad for herself just because of her looks. Those months of chemotherapy drained more of her than she was willing to confess and more than Julian was willing to admit.

But she was overpowered by lust and love. She never stopped loving him, if anything she only loved him more for everything he did to her. And as much as she couldn't believe the truth in his eyes when he said she was still beautiful, nothing could deny the truth on them when he said he loved her. She could see that every time he opened his heart to her, it was coming from his soul and that wasn't something that he could pretend.

"Make love to me, Julls" she pleaded as she felt his kisses lowering from her neck to her chest.

"There's nothing I want more" Julian whispered as he led their way to their bed.

Julian never tried to be intimate with her in those weeks. He let her dictate the pace of their relationship. Taking care of the last details of the movie premiere, he kept himself busy and gave her time and space. It had been tough for him to spend most of her pregnancy and those five months after it without touching her like his body craved to but in the end of the day, when they laid in their bed together and he looked to her and saw that she was there with him everything was forgotten. She had survived and was each day healthier and that made him forget all his physical needs. The happiness he felt every time he looked at her taking care of their son or smiling at him had been enough for him.

She had suggested pleasing him when she found him doing so two weeks ago but he refused to let her do it. He would wait for her no matter how much time she needed. Maybe he wasn't yet married to her and hadn't proclaimed any vows publicly but he had made more silent promises than any wedding ceremony would include. And one of those vows were centered on respecting and honoring his future wife... or eternal fiancée. It hurt him a bit when she refused to set up a date, even if a distant date and while he knew she was insecure about how she looked he still expected her to pick a date. She said that they didn't need vows or papers; that they had each other and they had Noah and there was all she needed. He respected and never objected though every now and then he would say that he couldn't wait until the day she was Mrs. Baker. He had finally changed his last name to his mother's maiden name, not because of the grudge he still held against his father but because he knew she liked it better. He was willing to do anything to the woman he was pleasing now, even changing his name.

When his mouth finally reached her nipples Brooke moaned in pleasure and her body started to shake behind his. She remembered well how it was to make love to Julian but right now it seemed like all her memories were just rough impressions of the real thing.

"You're so delicious, Dimples" Julian looked up to her eyes and then closed his own as he sucked her.

"I won't resist long, Baby, I need you inside of me" Brooke breathed out as his hand rubbed against her lips, though her panties.

"Neither will I; Brooklyn" he said as he moved his hands to the side of her undergarment, sliding them down quickly. He then kneeled in the bed getting rid of his boxers. He didn't wait another second before entering her, making sure he'd give her time to adapt to his size. It had been a long time for her too and her walls certainly didn't remember how it was to have him inside of them.

"Ohhh" she moaned as she felt his big manhood filling up each inch of her. He was even bigger than she remembered.

When Julian thought she was already used to his size again he started to thrust yet too slow. He kissed her mouth, her neck, chest and breasts while their bodies rocked in perfect synch. Making love to her was the most extraordinary experience he has ever had. There was nothing that could closely compare to her body enveloping his own. They were a perfect match; their bodies' joint was perfect and they merged like one. The way she moved her hips to meet his thrusts was incredible and feeling her flesh trembling under him was nearly enough to send him to his climax. He loved that woman more than it was possible to love someone. When their bodies were connected like that he felt the fullness of that love and that was fulfilling and magical. He couldn't describe what he felt as he heard her screaming his name when she released and he couldn't hold his own release either so he spilled his cream on her and then he felt complete again. It was like life finally became something worth living. He had the woman of his life under his body as they made love and that was what he missed all those months. He showed his love to her on a daily basis in many ways but there was nothing that compared to that.

* * *

"I'm nervous" he looked at her as they sat in the limo's backseat.

"You don't need any reason to be. This movie will be a hit" she reached for his hand and squeezed it.

"Only because I have a world-class designer starring" he leaned and kissed her softly.

The car finally stopped and both took deep breaths before they finally head out. There were hundreds of fans outside waiting for them. Surely Kate was the big star of the movie but Brooke was touched to see that there was a group of fans who held pictures of her and signs showing her support and love.

"They love you and I don't even blame them" Julian whispered on her ear as they approached the fans to sign some autographs.

"You look beautiful!" "You're a fighter" "I love you Brooke" "Marry me Brooke Davis" were some of the things she heard while she signed their papers, magazines and pictures.

"That one is a little late, I already proposed to the most beautiful woman on Earth and she was crazy enough to say yes" he leaned on and murmured on her ear.

"Just because she is madly in love with you" Brooke turned to him as he reached her hand with his own and then walked to where they were supposed to pose for pictures.

* * *

They had decided that the movie wasn't going to have overseas premieres but Paul had assured to make some promotion in Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Miami but before they headed to the fourth and last city, the movie was already a box office success.

"So are you ready to receive another ovation?" Brooke asked Julian in their hotel room.

"As much as I can be. This is still too new for me, you know. It's like a dream coming true" he looked over at her with his smirk she loved so much.

"You deserve your dreams to finally come true, Julls"

"They already did when I met you, when Noah was born, when you agreed to marry me. Everything that happens now is just a plus" he reached for her and kissed her passionately.

"Will this become our thing?" she said after she recovered somewhat her breath after their lip lock.

"What?" he asked her while he worked on his tie

"Make love before promoting 'Made in NY'" she smiled pulling him by said tie and bringing him over her in the bed.

"We did make in NY" he smirked kissing her breathless again but before he could reach for her dress someone was knocking their door.

"Bummer" Julian mumbled as he made his way to maybe kill the person interrupting them.

"Hey, big bro. I'm ready to go" Nat said as she entered the suite as soon as Julian opened. "Oh you were totally doing it, weren't you?" she looked at Brooke and smirked. The brunette tried to smooth her dress but her lipstick was all over her face.

"Too much time to make up for, sis, too much time" she answered Nathalie with a naughty smile before heading back to the bathroom to fix her make-up.

"Stop talking about my sex life with my sister. It's just…. ewww" Julian pulled a disgusted face and Nathalie only smiled.

"I already entered your bedroom in some much further actions, Jully and that was traumatizing but also made me fearless" Nat winked and followed Brooke.

"Good thing I've moved to New York" he muttered but not low enough.

"I heard that and it only makes me a guess in your house instead of the neighbor" both girls laughed and he couldn't help but curl his lips too while shaking his head.

"We should totally enjoy the night now" Nathalie suggested as they entered the casino room after being in one of the many convention rooms promoting the movie along with Ryan Reynolds, who played Charles in the movie.

"I follow your lead, sis" Brooke joined arms with Nathalie while Julian talked to Ryan and some other cast members.

"Catch me if you can, fiancé" Brooke whispered at Julian's ear, winking and then leaving with his sister.

* * *

The night had been a blast. They had fun like anyone was supposed to have in Vegas and Julian and Brooke were now going to their bedroom. They were happy they only had one more city before finally going back home to Noah. The boy was in the Hamptons with Haley and Victoria. Brooke had cried when she left them in the morning as much as she had the morning when they left to LA. She had made Julian get them the red-eye and go to New York only so they'd take another plan one day after it to go to Vegas. And they'd take it again in a couple of hours.

"I really love you, do you know that?" he whispered in her ear as they held hands walking through the lobby of their hotel.

"I do but I just love listening it over and over again" she tilted her head in his chest and he kissed the top of her head. "I love you, Brooke Penelope soon-or-maybe-not-so-soon-to-be Baker"

Brooke looked at those eyes and they were as sweet as always. Julian was definitely a special man, one that she wasn't even sure if she deserved. Most of times she thought she didn't and that everything she ever did to him would be short of what he's done for her - mistakes and all - and looking at him in that moment she realized she should always put as much effort as possible to give it back to him.

"Come to me" she asked quietly stopping on their tracks.

"Where? We have a plan to catch in a couple of hours, Dimples, and if I know you, you still have to pack" he chuckled looking at her carefully. She had a plan, he could say but the way she looked at him wasn't something he could read. As much as he looked for the mischievous smile she'd offer when inviting him to do the thing they did the most he couldn't find it. But if she wasn't taking him to have some kinky sex what was she planning to do?

They walked a few blocks and Julian didn't ask anything but his curiosity was eating him from inside. Brooke wasn't the one who liked to make surprises, though he'd disagree when she said she didn't like to receive them either.

But their little walk finally came to an end and seeing where they were standing, Julian gasped.

"What are we doing here?" he asked unsure.

"What do you think we can possibly do here?" she smiled sweetly to him as she moved to be in front of him, holding both of his hands in hers.

"I… Brooke… this is so… I didn't mean it like that, you know. We talked…" he stuttered but she shut him up with a kiss.

"Julian, I love you" was the only thing she said as they broke the kiss.

"Are you sure about it?" he wasn't still confident about this sudden change. They've talked about it a few times and she was always adamant in her position.

"Never been more sure of anything" the grin plastered in her face proved him that she was indeed sure about what they're about to do.

"Won't you regret not having everything I'm sure you dreamed about?" he made the final question. He knew it was important for her and he didn't want to pressure her to give that up.

"Are you having second thoughts?" she asked insecure. Maybe she was wrong.

"No, Brooklyn, I just want to make all your dreams come true, your wedding dreams included" he cupped her face and then kissed her briefly.

"I always dreamed about a big wedding but I can't wait one more day to be your wife. We can marry again once we're back to New York, but this Julian, is all I need to make me the happiest woman in the world" her voice was hoarse as her eyes wet with the prospect of finally marrying the man she loved.

"So let's get married, Brooklyn Penelope about-to-be-Baker" his remarkable grin in place as he brought her hands to his lips and kissed both of them, before offering her his arm and enter the little chapel.

* * *

"Ohhhh" Brooke moaned as Julian rocked their bodies together. "I'm coming Baby, there, there, ohhhhhhhh" she barely voiced as Julian finally hit the spot that always drove her crazy.

"Come to me Dimples, come to me" his voice was also failing. They were already ready to receive their guests but as Julian entered their master suite just coming from their son bedroom after having him dressed to his first birthday, the sight in front of him was more than he could resist. Much to his surprise he found Brooke changing her underwear and he couldn't stop himself and she definitely didn't ask him to. That was barely five minutes ago and they just hoped Noah was still too distracted with the first gifts they had given to him in the morning because they surely didn't want to hurt their son's innocent eyes with all the action they've been up to.

"Ahhhhhhh" was Brooke last moan as she finally came, followed closely by her husband.

"Mommy?" they heard from the baby monitor they still had in his bedroom.

"Compose yourself, Julian, your son ought not see you in this condition" she panted as she smoothed her dress and started to look for her underwear again. Couldn't her husband be any less hot and not so well in the deed? She couldn't say no to him. It was bigger than her… literally.

"I'm going Buddy, Mommy is just being her usual neurotic self" he chuckled as he fixed his pants zipper and belt.

"Neurotic huh?" Brooke looked at him as he reached the door of their room.

"A lot but still the woman I love more than anything" he winked and went to his son bedroom. Good thing Noah didn't walk that fast yet otherwise they'd be in real trouble.

Julian was yet to step foot inside the boy's room when the doorbell rang.

"I've got the baby, Dimples, you must get the door and make sure you're presentable" Julian yelled as he crouched in front of his son who was playing with his brand new remote control toy car.

"Oh Julian Michael Baker you're so not having it for another month!" she quipped as she passed by Noah's room, still fixing the panties under her dress.

"As if you could resist me, Honey" he smirked and then took the boy in his arms to bring him to the backyard where the party would take place.

* * *

"Everything looks beautiful Brooke" Katherine offered as Brooke sat at the Norris' table with Noah in her arms.

"Gapa, gapa" the little boy soon called for Paul as he saw his father's father.

"Hey, Little Trouble, being as bad to mommy and daddy as grandpa taught you?" Paul smiled to the baby who laughed back naughtily.

"So you're to blame, Gapa? Let me tell Julian about it" Brooke pretended to be mad barely stuffing the chuckle back.

"No need to tell me, I've heard it perfectly, Dimples and he'll pay for it" Julian leaned down and kissed her cheek turning them to the rest of the people in the table.

"Mom, Dad" he offered an honest and proud smile. He was happy to be reconciled with his parents and even happier to see them spoiling Noah rotten. They'd travel to New York every other weekend when Paul wasn't working and most of them when he was. He had become very demanding about his schedule of work ever since his son allowed him to be a real grandfather and hopefully a father too.

"Nat" Julian moved to where his youngest sister was sat, between her old ones, and brought her to their usual nearly-suffocating-hug greeting.

"Nice job with the boy, Jully. He's absolutely gorgeous though he got nothing from Brooke and got all from you, I don't know how that's even possible for the baby to don't look pitiful as you do" she chuckled as Julian rolled his eyes and tapped the back of her head.

"Well, he got my very good looks, thank you, but the final touch certainly is Brooke's and if you weren't such a lame aunt and have been in the continent after we left Las Vegas you wouldn't be surprised by how good looking your own nephew is" he sent the bait and she knew immediately where this was going.

"That's what happens when your boyfriend is Spanish and finishing his post-graduation in his country" Nathalie shrugged and tried to sound careless about it but everyone already had a comment in the tip of their tongues but her elder sister beat them all as she joined them in their table.

"Oh so now the fancy affair was promoted to a relationship?" Seeing her brothers and parents reunited like that was a blessing she wanted to share as much as possible.

"Brooke, I didn't see Vicky around yet. Maybe we could get Isabella's pests and Dylan and take some pictures of the Davis' and Norris' together?"

"Hey, I'm a Summers!" Isabella protested.

"As much as Brooke is a Baker, get over your fat ass and go get your husband and your offspring here, I'm spotting Victoria over there lecturing the girl about something in the candies table" Nathalie rolled her eyes but smiled inside knowing that she took the attention away of her and Rafael's relationship. She was definitely not ready to talk about it let alone tell them that he was moving in with her within two months when he'd be released of all his commitments in Madrid.

"That's Victoria for you, I'll go get her and free the poor girl. She's probably going to run the moment Mother turns around" Brooke joked and everybody laughed knowing that there were real chances of it really happening.

* * *

"Julian!" Brooke's scream filled their two-story house and he really thought his wife had a microphone when she called him.

"Going, Dimples" he answered as loudly from downstairs with a smile in his face. But the moment he entered their room, he was weak on his knees as he saw Brooke leaning both of her hands firmly against the dresser.

"It's time" she mumbled as she saw him.

"Time is not supposed to come for another five weeks!" he panicked seeing the pool of liquid around her feet.

"This is your entire fault" she slapped him hard in the shoulder as her other hand held her swollen belly.

"I need to call Isabella" he started to pace looking for his phone.

"Isabella is hours away, smartass you need to get all the stuff in Gabriel's bag now!" she yelled and then grimaced as another contraction hit her, leading her to seat at the foot of their bed.

"Move Julian!" she cried again, annoyed by how he didn't budge to do what she said.

"But what about Gabriel? I was on my way to get the boys. School's time is over in a few minutes" his voice showed all his fear and desperation. Noah's traumatizing birth wasn't in his memories as their other four boys' births. It was a long and distant memory from almost six years and definitely nothing like the twins', Gabriel's and David' but all of them were born in their due dates.

"Grrr! Why did I ever marry you again? And worse, let you get me pregnant with all those munchkins" she hissed as she reached for her cell phone.

"Haley, it's me, can you get Noah and David at school for me? Benjamin and Joshua are with Paul and Katherine today" her voice was sweet and soft as she talked to her friend, as if nothing was happening while Julian seemed to finally wake up from his trance and go to Gabriel's room get his bag and feel it with Sara's stuff. They were yet to buy a few things to their baby-girl and the maternity bag was one of those. The one-year old was sleeping quietly despite his mother noise and Julian couldn't help but stop in front of his youngest son and fall in love all over again. But the moment was soon disturbed by Brooke.

"Julian" she yelled even louder and he could bet the scream met her latest contraction.

"I'm never opening up my legs to you again. This is your fault!" she kept her tone loud as he entered the bedroom again.

"This story got old when the twins were born, Dimples" he finally seemed to relax. They had been through three uneventful labors in the past five years and he was slowly realizing that once the water broke it was quick and that hopefully their little girl would be just as healthy as her older brothers.

"No! This has nothing to do with you pulling that dick of yours in middle of my legs it has do with your late night talks to Sara" she was enraged as he helped her to stand up from the bed and let her lean on his side. "_Daddy can't wait to see you. Daddy can't wait to meet his princess. You'll love everything mommy and daddy had prepared to you, princess. You'll love your girly beautiful princess room_" she made a coy voice as she imitated him, but still there was reprehension in her voice "With all your great experience knowing women didn't you learn that we can't help our curiosity? It's your fault that she now can't wait to see the freaking princess nursery" she slapped his chest now and he only smirked the most quietly possible. Laboring Brooke was always hilarious.

"I know Honey, so now how about you really tone down a little. As I suppose Haley is picking the boys at school we need to take Gabriel with us and we want him to make it to the hospital sleeping and not playing a Brooke Laboring Baker because we woke him up from his nap"

"Also your fault. You spoil those boys rotten. I can only imagine what will be of this little brat that is knocking out my bladder now" she mumbled as they entered their little baby bedroom.

"Be careful" she warned as Julian brought Gabriel to his chest without having the boy to stir once.

"My angel is the only man to help Mommy, yes he is. I love you Gabby" Brooke whispered as she kissed softly his temple. "Now move, Julian" she hissed low to her husband.

"I love you too, Honey" he chuckled and helped her to walk out of the house.

* * *

"She's beautiful" Julian murmured as they watched their daughter sleeping in the NICU crib.

"Another baby to look just like you" Brooke sighed but the smile in her face showed that she had no problem with all their six children looking like Julian and having nothing from her.

"Joshua has your eyes. And David has your nose" he hugged his wife from behind.

"But they're still your spitting image. I thought at least the girl would look like me" she pouted and he chuckled and then moved to kiss her cheek softly "That's because God knows I wouldn't survive having a daughter looking as hot as Brooke Baker"

"So you want our girl to be ugly?" she turned around in his arms and they were now facing each other.

"No, she'll be beautiful, just not as beautiful as her mom. I don't deserve all those boys going after my princess when she's fifteen. I swear if any of them steps on our door before she's twenty-one I'll spank them" he was suddenly serious and by his blank eyes Brooke could bet he was visualizing it in his head.

"Don't be ridiculous, Julls, she'll probably be on her third or fourth boyfriend when she's twenty-one, if you don't count the dates _and_ the one night stands" she winked to him and then turned to see their daughter again.

"Oh that won't happen, Honey, I'll assure you" he said uneasy as he watched the little girl breathing.

* * *

After spending only a week in the hospital, Sara was finally sleeping in the moses crib by their bed. The couple seemed to be mesmerized by their girl and they couldn't stop drooling over her, always trying to also be caring and giving attention to the boys. They knew it'd be really easy to neglect them when they finally had the girl they always wanted. But they were sure they'd love all their kids just the same.

"I don't love you because you gave me a baby-girl. I love Sara and the boys because you gave me them" he stopped to look at her eyes and he couldn't be more serious about it. Brooke never got tired of his love speeches and she brought his head to her chest and rubbed his head knowing he had more to say.

"Even if the very first movie had been a flop. Even if you couldn't have more babies. Even if we never had a family I would be just as happy because my happiness is you, Brooklyn. I could lose everything but if I had you I would survive and we would build everything again but if I'd lose you, nothing of this would matter and I would be a lost soul rambling in the world waiting until the day where I'd finally meet you again" he confessed for the first time in those six years and a half the extension of his love for her.

"I love you just as much, Julls, and I wish I was this good with words"

"You aren't good with words as much as you aren't about everything else, Brooklyn. You're perfect, on everything you do and the only reason why I'm capable of loving you like this is because you love me. You gave me everything I needed. You gave me a family, new dreams, a new life but the most important thing you've ever given to me was your heart. You made me a new man and all this new man can do is to love you, forever" he tilted his head looking at her eyes as he said all those words and the tears that shimmered in her eyes and how her lips trembled were enough answer for him. Reaching for her head he straddled a little up and brought her lips to him, kissing her passionately. And as many times in those years, instead of having her in his chest, Julian found himself on hers again, lying helpless in her arms. And he never felt so complete, stronger, braver and confident in his whole life.

* * *

_AN: surprise, surprise. No, it's not a miracle and hopefully the world won't end in a few minutes but I did finish this story :D. This epilogue was ridiculously overdue but better later than never right?_

_I want to thank everybody who read and reviewed this fic during all those chapters. You made me really happy and some of you really gave me ideas that made it what it is. So I'm very thankful and hopefully I'll be able to also finish Stockholm though Hope I guess would be more difficult._

_I hope you enjoyed it and I'd love to have a bunch more of reviews (though I may not deserve them after taking so long)._

_xoxo_

_Babi  
_


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